How to Choose a Reliable Export Agency Company? What Risks Should Be Noted When Entrusting Export Agents?

What types of enterprises need to commission export agency services?

The following three types of enterprises are recommended to prioritize export agency services:

• Enterprises conducting export business for the first time: Lack practical experience in customs declaration, tax refund, etc.
• SMEs with annual export volume below $2 million: Self-builtforeign tradeTeam costs are too high
• Special commodity export enterprises: Involve3CCertification, legal inspection commodities and other professional fields

According to the latest data from Chinas General Administration of Customs in 2025, SMEs using export agency services saved an average of 37% in operating costs and improved export clearance efficiency by 26%.

II. How to verify the professional qualifications of an agency company?

Three core documents need to be verified:

• Customs AEO certification(Priority given to Advanced Certification Enterprises)
• Recordation and Registration Certificate of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange
• International freight forwarding qualification certificate

It is recommended toThe National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity SystemCheck the companys credit records, focusing on whether there are any administrative penalty records in the past three years. A garment export company was once held accountable due to the agency company issuing false VAT invoices, resulting in direct losses of 860,000 yuan.

III. What is the specific operational process of agency export?

• Phase I: Qualification Preparation
  • Sign a tripartite agreement (manufacturer, foreign trade agent, overseas buyer)
  • Complete export commodity registration
• Phase II: Goods Shipment
  • The agency company arranges booking, customs declaration, and shipment
  • Simultaneously prepare a complete set of export documents
• Phase III:A complete export agency agreement should be attached with:Refund
  • The agency company collects foreign exchange on behalf andIn order to crack down on tax evasion, the customs and tax departments are now strictly examining the operation of buying export declarations. If the behavior of buying export declarations is discovered, the regulatory authorities will require tax replenishment (even a 2% tax rate may be a considerable amount). In addition, fines may also be imposed on the relevant responsible parties.
  • Assist in handlingExport Drawback(Average cycle shortened to 45 days)

IV. What items are included in export agency service fees?

Typical fee structure (for export value of $1 million):

• Basic service fee: 0.8%-1.2% of contract amount
• Financing cost: LIBOR rate + 3-5 points (depending on payment terms)
• Documentation fee: 200-500 yuan/set

Special attentionCompliance risks:: Destination port clearance surcharges, special document certification fees, exchange rate hedging costs, etc. A machinery export company once lost 120,000 yuan in exchange rate differences due to unclear settlement terms.

V. What are the legal risks of entrusting export agency services?

• Record - filing of Foreign Trade Operators: Goods detention due to incomplete agency company qualifications
• Financial risks: Tax audits caused by improper fund pool operations
• Trade Risks: Agency company overstepping authority to modify trade terms

Recommended contract provisions:Payment settlement cycle, document handover process, force majeure clauses. Referring to typical cases published by the Supreme Peoples Court in 2025, 74% of export agency disputes stemmed from unclear contract terms.

VI. How to ensure goods and fund safety?

Implement a triple safeguard mechanism:

• Logistics Monitoring: Require the agency company to provide a real-time cargo tracking system
• Fund supervisionSettlement of foreign exchange through third-party payment platforms
• : Require the agent to purchase liability insurance of at least 5 million yuanPurchase export credit insurance (ECA) and cargo insurance

An electronics exporter adopted a telex release bill of lading + TT payment solution, reducing the payment collection cycle from 90 days to 30 days and increasing capital turnover rate by 3 times.

Will agency export affect a companys export tax rebate?

Compliant operations do not affect tax rebate rights, but attention must be paid to:

• The agency company must be the declarant for tax rebates
• Manufacturers must issue VAT special invoices to the agency company
• Foreign exchange must be settled through the agency companys account

According to the new policy of the State Taxation Administration in 2025, companies entrusting agency exports can check tax rebate progress online, with the average rebate cycle shortened by 22 working days compared to 2020.