Will the agency company misappropriate my payment?

Fund security isAgency export,the most critical risk point. Latest 2025 data shows,34% of national foreign trade agency disputes involve fund misappropriation. Some non-compliant agents may exploit the "foreign exchange collection cycle gap" to withhold payments, especially during periods of significant exchange rate fluctuations, potentially delaying payments or even absconding with the funds.

• Prevention recommendations:
  • Select agency companies withState Administration of Foreign Exchange Class-A qualificationPayment documentation
  • Request to provideBank escrow accountPayment documents
  • adoptedL/C + D/P payment termsCombined settlement

Who is responsible for customs declaration document issues?

According to the Customs Declaration Unit Record-filing Administration Provisions revised by the General Administration of Customs in 2025,Under export agency arrangements, the exporter bears joint legal liabilities。A cross-border e-commerce company was required to pay back taxes of 3.8 million yuan in 2022 due to an agency's false declaration of HS codes, and was subsequently added to the customs失信名單 (dishonesty list).

• Key risk control points:
  • Verify the agentsCustoms AEO certification level
  • Request to provideCustoms declaration pre-review confirmation letter
  • PurchaseTrade compliance insuranceRisk sharing

Can the agency handle special commodities?

Approximately 62% of foreign trade enterprises encounterService capacity bottleneckswhen choosing export agency services. A medical device exporter once had goods worth $2 million stranded at Los Angeles Port for 45 days due to the agents lack of FDA certification experience.

• Professional service evaluation checklist:
  • Special qualifications: Hazardous chemicals/food/medical device operation licenses
  • Route coverage: Availability of refrigerated/ temperature-controlled transportation
  • Document processing: Turnaround time for CO/embassy certification

Will hidden costs erode my profits?

Beyond agency fees, enterprises often overlook theseHidden cost items:

• Bank charges (averaging 0.3%-0.7% of cargo value)
• Document authentication expedited fees (embassy certification rush fees can be 3x regular rates)
• Demurrage charges (averaging USD120/day on Middle East routes)

Its recommended to require agents to provideEnd-to-end cost breakdownand agree on excess cost sharing ratios.

Will information opacity affect business decisions?

Under export agency arrangements, enterprises may lose control overThree core data elements:

• Actual customer information (agents often shield end buyers)
• Market feedback data (difficulty in quality issue tracing)
• Logistics updates (no direct access to shipping lines)

It is recommended to clarify in the contractData Sharing Terms, requiring regular provision of customer profiling reports and access to logistics tracking systems.

As a foreign trade expert with 20 years of experience, I recommend enterprises with annual export volumes exceeding $5 million to establish their own export systems. For small and medium-sized enterprises, key considerations when choosing export agents should be:Fund supervision mechanisms > Industry experience > Service transparency > Risk control systems > Price advantages. Regularly hiring third-party auditing agencies to verify agents financial and customs records can effectively reduce cooperation risks.