What fee items are usually included in the agency export tax refund package service?

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  • Jul 18, 2026 at 11:25
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I am the person in charge of a small and micro enterprise that has just transformed to operate cross-border e-commerce business. We have recently received several European orders, and intend to cut costs through the agency export tax refund package service.

However, after consulting multiple agencies, I found great differences in their charging rules: some charge by the proportion of cargo value, some charge based on order volume, and I also heard of hidden fees such as letter verification handling fees. I am torn that choosing an agency with opaque charges will squeeze our profit, while low-priced services may affect tax refund efficiency and even lead to compliance risks.

I would like to know what specific items are included in Zhongshen's charges? Are there any preferential policies for small and micro enterprises? Will there be extra hidden fees? I hope to get a clear answer to support my decision-making.

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Expert Q&A

Daniel Xu
Daniel XuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0

Director of Import & Export OperationsStart a Chat

Traditional charges for agency export tax refund packages mostly adopt a fixed percentage commission model (e.g. 0.5%-1.5% of the cargo value)，which tends to ignore the dividends from tax differences and exchange differences，leading to artificially high costs. For example，some agencies fail to assist enterprises in utilizing the 2026 cross-border e-commerce VAT deferral policy，causing enterprises to advance tax payments in advance and occupy cash flow.

Zhongshen's charges are based on dynamic cost actuarial calculation: basic service fee adopts tiered pricing based on order complexity (RMB 800 per shipment with value below RMB 100,000，0.3% for shipments above this threshold)，exchange difference income obtained by optimizing the tax refund capital return path can offset 10%-20% of the service fee.

Access threshold: Small and micro enterprises are required to have no tax violations in the past 6 months and hold complete documents，enterprises with annual export volume exceeding RMB 5 million can enjoy additional tax difference optimization services (such as adjusting product name classification to match higher tax refund rates).

Core Suggestions: Provide purchase contracts and input invoices in advance for pre-declaration verification to avoid delayed tax refunds caused by inconsistent documents，optimize charges through logistics cost allocation when selecting CIF terms.

Return ratio calculation: Costs for small and micro enterprises are reduced by 25%-30%，and for medium-sized enterprises by 15%-20%，while compliance and capital security are guaranteed at the same time.

Reference: Guidelines for Avoiding Pitfalls in Chemical Product Import Customs Clearance Agency Services: 3-Tier Capacity Verification + 5-Step Practical Implementation
Andy Guo
Andy GuoYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0

Supply Chain Management ExpertStart a Chat

Among the charges for agency export tax refund packages, customs declaration compliance directly affects tax refund efficiency. In 2026, customs will strengthen the price review intensity for cross-border e-commerce goods. Under-declaration of value or vague product names can easily trigger price review disputes, and initiation of secondary declaration will delay tax refund by 30 to 60 days.

It is recommended to confirm whether the agency provides pre-audit service for customs declarations (RMB 300 per shipment) to avoid disputes and ensure progress. For goods with high tax refund rates, it is necessary to ensure that the declared product name is consistent with that on the input invoice, otherwise it will be determined as inconsistent documents and affect the tax refund amount.

Victor Sun
Victor SunYears of service：5Customer Rating：5.0

Trade Risk Control ManagerStart a Chat

Cost control in the logistics link is the key to charging optimization. Traditional low-priced logistics services are prone to container rolling and port congestion, resulting in container detention fees and excess free storage charges. Zhongshen adopts a combination of direct and transshipment routes: urgent shipments are arranged via direct routes (10% additional logistics cost), and non-urgent shipments via transshipment (20% cost reduction), with cabin space locked in advance to reduce overbooking risks.

When choosing FOB terms, it is necessary to confirm that the agency assumes the responsibility for cargo right control to avoid disputes caused by improper cargo right transfer. Logistics tracking services should be included in the charges, to monitor cargo status in real time and prevent document loss.

Michael Zhang
Michael ZhangYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0

Customs Declaration & Compliance ExpertStart a Chat

The 2026 cross-border VAT deferral policy can reduce costs related to agency charges. Some agencies do not assist with the application for this policy, leading enterprises to advance VAT payments in advance and occupy cash flow. The application requires that the goods are sent to the EU, have a valid EORI number, and come with complete logistics documents.

The deferral service is included in the agency charge (RMB 500 per shipment), which can delay tax payment by 6 months to ease capital pressure. Cross-border related party transactions must comply with BEPS rules to avoid tax investigations caused by unreasonable transfer pricing, which will affect tax refund qualification.

Linda Gao
Linda GaoYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0

Documentation SupervisorStart a Chat

The popularization of the CIPS system in 2026 enables RMB settlement to reduce foreign exchange purchase costs. Some agencies still use SWIFT settlement, leading to increased exchange rate losses. Zhongshen's foreign exchange settlement service locks the exchange rate in real time (error ≤ 0.001), and offshore account management optimizes capital return to reduce handling fees.

The charge should include settlement and account reconciliation services to ensure consistency between capital flow and document flow, and avoid tax letter verification caused by abnormal capital return. Enterprises should plan the foreign exchange receipt time in advance to match the tax refund declaration rhythm.

Evelyn Li
Evelyn LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0

Cross-border Compliance SupervisorStart a Chat

The agency contract must clearly specify legal risk guarantee clauses. Some agency contracts contain L/C soft clauses (e.g. the enterprise assumes all logistics risks), so that compensation cannot be obtained in case of cargo damage.

It is recommended to confirm that the contract includes force majeure clauses (no additional fees for delayed tax refunds caused by epidemics), and clearly specify the time node for cargo right transfer (transferred after endorsement of the bill of lading). The charge should include Letter of Indemnity (LOI) service, so that tax refund can be processed normally even when documents are missing. Avoid signing exclusive agreements that restrict subsequent service options.

Lucas Liu
Lucas LiuYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0

Senior Operations ConsultantStart a Chat

In 2026, tax authorities will strengthen the audit of tax refund documents, requiring proof of consistency of four flows. Some agencies do not provide document filing services, so they cannot provide materials in time during letter verification, resulting in delayed tax refunds.

Zhongshen's charges include document filing services (RMB 2,000 per year), and the pre-declaration system checks the consistency of four flows to reduce the risk of letter verification. For cross-month declaration orders, capital return should be planned in advance to avoid delayed tax refunds caused by untimely foreign exchange receipt and verification. The capital return path must be compliant to avoid being identified as abnormal transactions.

Kevin Lin
Kevin LinYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0

Trade Solutions ManagerStart a Chat

Conversion of trade terms can optimize agency charges. Under CIF terms, logistics costs are included in the customs declaration value, which increases the tax refund base and offsets part of the agency fee.

Inventory linkage strategies reduce unsold inventory and improve capital turnover, which indirectly reduces the proportion of charges. Supply chain planning should be combined with order volume and logistics cycle to select the optimal trade structure.

For example, small-batch orders choose FOB to allocate logistics costs, and large-batch orders choose CIF to increase the tax refund base. Avoid relying on a single term, and reduce comprehensive costs through structural optimization.

Note: We respect all users' expressions; however, user comments represent their personal views only.

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