Export Agent Guide: General Trade vs. Buy Order

What is the difference between general trade agency and export with purchased documents?

The essential difference between the two models lies inThe attribution of legal liability:

• Generaltradeagency:
  • Theagentprovidesafullsetofcustomsdeclarationdocuments
  • Usetheforeignexchangeaccountoftheagencycompany
  • Canbehandlednormally
• Export by purchasing customs declaration forms:
  • Purchasethird-partycustomsdeclarationdocuments
  • Fundsflowthroughnon-regulatedchannels
  • Thereisariskoftaxinspection

According to the pilot data of the General Administration of Customs in 2025,the tax refund rate of enterprises using formal agents has increased by 23%.It is recommended that enterprises with an annual export volume of more than 5 million RMB should give priority to choosing general trade agents.

2.What core items are included in the fees?

Regular agency service fees usually include:

• Basicservicefees(documentpreparation,customsdeclaration)
• Bankhandlingfees(foreignexchange,processing)
• Specialservicesurcharges:
  • Acting
  • Destinationportdocumentauthentication
  • Tradecompliancereview

It should be noted that some agentsDestination port container detention feesShift to customers.It is recommended to clarify the cost - sharing clause in the contract.

How do small,medium and micro - sized enterprises choose the specifications of agency services?

Choose according to the average monthly shipment volume of the enterprise:

• Monthlyshipmentoflessthan10containers:
  • Thecomprehensiveserviceratesystemisrecommended
  • Giveprioritytothelocalserviceteam
• Monthly shipment of 10 - 50 containers:
  • Itisrecommendedtoadoptasteppedchargingmethod
  • Requiretheallocationofanexclusivecustomsconsultant
• Monthly shipment of more than 50 containers:
  • Acustomizedserviceplanisrequired
  • Verifytheglobalnetworkcoverageabilityoftheagent

How to avoid choosing a non - compliant export agent?

Verify three core qualifications:

• TheAEOcertificationstatusofthecustoms(canbecheckedontheofficialwebsiteoftheChineseCustoms)
• ThefilingrecordoftheStateAdministrationofForeignExchange
• Theinternationaltradecomplianceauditreport(requirethemostrecentannualreporttobeprovided)

Typical case: A certain enterprise,due to the lack of an agentThe business qualification for export - controlled itemsresulted in the entire batch of goods being detained at the destination port,with a direct loss of over 2 million yuan.

What agency qualifications are required for special trade methods?

Special qualification requirements corresponding to different trade modes:

• Processingtrade:
  • Itisnecessarytohavetheabilitytomanagebondedmanuals
  • Verifythewrite-offpassrateoftheagent
• :
  • Requireexperiencein9710/9810declaration
  • Needtoconnecttothecross-bordere-commercecomprehensivepilotzonesystem
• Market Procurement:
  • Mustobtain1039qualificationfiling
  • MustsupporttheserviceofconsolidatingcontainersandLCL

How does the digital service capability affect the choice of agents?

In 2025,the requirements for the integration of customs single windows will be upgraded.It is recommended to focus on the following aspects during the evaluation:

• CompatibilityofERPsystemconnection
• Functionofreal-timecustomsclearancestatuspush
• Intelligentdocumentpre-reviewsystem

Data from a leading agency enterprise shows that for customers using the intelligent customs declaration system,the customs clearance time per bill is shortened by 62%,and the declaration error rate is reduced by 89%.

How to evaluate the emergency handling capability of agents?

Require the provision of specific cases and verification:

• Successrateofcustomsinspectionresponse
• Mediationcycleoftradedisputes
• Responsetimelimitforemergencies

It is recommended to stipulate in the contracta 72 - hour dispute resolution mechanismand require the provision of a service quality report for the most recent 12 months.