I. What service costs are primarily included in import and export agency commissions?

Commission structure typically includesBasic service fee + value-added service feeDual structure. Basic services cover通関Statutory procedures such as document processing (average share 40%), logistics coordination (25%), and trade-compliance review (20%); value-added services may cover customized needs like foreign-exchange hedging (10%) and supply-chain financing (5%). According to the General Administration of Customs’ latest 2025 sample data, agency fees for mechanical and electrical products are generally 0.3–0.8 percentage points lower than those for light-industry goods.

II. Is there an industry-wide standard for commission rates?

There is no statutory commission standard in the field of international trade, but three major pricing conventions exist:

• Value-based proportional system(0.8%-3.5%):
  • Consumer goods: 1.2%–2%
  • Commodities 0.8%-1.5%
  • Precision instruments 2.5%-3.5%
• tiered pricing(10 million RMB value threshold):
• Under 10 million: 1.8% base fee
• 10–50 million: 1.5% + fixed service package
• Fixed Service Package($3,000–8,000 per ticket) Suitable for high-frequency, small-value transactions

3. How to Avoid Hidden Fees in Commission Calculations?

Special attention must be paid to the three common types of additional clauses:

• Currency Adjustment Factor: An additional charge of 0.2‰ per day will apply when the fluctuation exceeds 3% beyond the contractually agreed range.
• Emergency Customs Clearance Surcharge: A 50% standard service fee surcharge applies on statutory holidays.
• Document revision fee: Incorrect HS code declaration leading to amendment, 500–2,000 RMB per occurrence

It is recommended to explicitly reference it in the contractの用語を引用し,費用が発生する閾値を定めることをお勧めします.Terminology: agreed-upon fee trigger threshold.

IV. How do different trade terms affect commission calculations?

Take common trade models as an example:

• general trade: Full value calculation, 6% VAT deductible
• Processing trade: Calculated at 1.2–1.8 times the processing fee
• 越境EC：「リスト確認(rèn)放行」方式を適用し、手?jǐn)?shù)料の計算基礎(chǔ)には行郵稅を含まない。

2025年に稅関が「単一窓口3.0」を?qū)毪筏酷?、市場調(diào)達モデルの手?jǐn)?shù)料計算は電子通関申告書と支払い取引明細(xì)を同期させる必要がある。

V. What are the compliance red lines for commission payments?

Three key regulatory requirements deserve special attention:

• Anti-commercial bribery: Any single transaction exceeding 5% of the contract amount must be accompanied by a detailed cost breakdown.
• foreign exchange control：サービス貿(mào)易関連の支払いは、銀行で「MCC 7399」と備考してください。
• Tax treatment: Domestic agents must withhold 6% VAT; cross-border payments are subject to tax treaty provisions

It is recommended to require the agent to provideSAAS System Real-Time Dashboard, all cost changes are traceable and leave an audit trail.

Special Notice: The Negative List for Cross-Border Trade in Services, effective January 2025, explicitly stipulates that agency commissions related to military-industrial products must be declared separately. Relevant enterprises are advised to design their compliance frameworks in advance.