What are the main sources of profit for export agency companies?

According to the World Customs Organization's latest 2025 trade report, professional export agency companies typically achieve profitability through the following six dimensions:

• Basic Service Costs：Agency fees are charged at 0.8%-3% of the cargo value.
• Value-added service profit:customs clearance, certification, logistics, and other additional services
• Export tax refundDifference: Utilize the time difference to obtain financial returns.
• The exchange rateOperating income: Management of exchange rate differences in foreign exchange settlement
• Logistics price difference: Integrate transportation resources to earn price differences.
• Funds settlement interest: Interest income during the collection period

Why is there a threefold difference in agency fees?

During my handling of an export case for a machinery company in 2019, I discovered that the variation in service fee rates was primarily influenced by:

• Product complexity
  • General consumer goods: 0.8%-1.2%
  • Special equipment: more than 2.5%
• Conditions of Trade
  • The service cost under EXW terms has increased by 1.5 times.
  • The DDP terms involve more steps.
• Annual export volume
  • Clients with over $10 million can negotiate down to 0.5%.

Export tax refundHow does the margin create profit?

Taking the current 13% VAT rate in 2025 as an example:

• The average period for the agency company to advance the tax refund is 45 days.
• Calculated at an annualized interest rate of 4.35%, a single tax refund of 1 million yuan can generate an income of 5,438 yuan.
• Some companies accept a discount rate of 3-5% to obtain funds in advance.

The 2024 annual report of a listed company shows that the capital turnover income from its agency business accounts for 28% of its total profits.

Is there any compliance risk associated with exchange rate manipulation?

Legal operation methods include:

• Foreign exchange hedging service fees
• Multi-Currency Account Management Fee
• Cross-border Capital Pool Optimization Service

Please note: The 2025 foreign exchange regulations explicitly prohibit "acting on behalf of clients in trading." Compliant enterprises should provide exchange rate risk management solutions rather than engaging in direct transactions.

How to Identify Hidden Cost Traps?

Business owners are advised to focus on:

• Does the document certification fee include notarized translation?
• Breakdown of destination port miscellaneous charges
• Abnormally low declared unit price (potential additional correction fees may apply later)
• The opening fee for a fund supervision account

What key points should be noted when choosing an agency company?

• Confirm AEO customs certification qualification (with new digital certification standards added in 2025)
• Verify the registration of the foreign exchange income and expenditure directory.
• Please provide the tax refund payment receipts for the last 12 months.
• Compare the shipping quotes from at least three freight forwarders.