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What should you pay attention to when choosing an export company as an agent?
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TRACKING NO. 20260131 / GLOBAL Zhongshen Trade · 23+ Years of Expert Trade Agency
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Our company just started doingOur company just started foreign trade, and wants to entrustThe company handles the operations, but the quality of agent companies in the market varies greatly. We're worried that choosing an unprofessional one might lead to problems with tax refunds or the seizure of goods. Could you please tell us what key points we should pay attention to when selecting an export agent?
Andy GuoYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Supply Chain Management ExpertStart a Chat
First，verify the other party's "double-certificate" qualifications: the business license must explicitly include "import and export of goods" in its scope of operations，along with the "Registration Certificate for Declaration Agents" issued by the customs authority. Second，confirm whether they possess the "export tax rebate qualification" recognized by the tax bureau，as this directly affects your ability to successfully obtain tax rebates. At the contractual level，it is essential to stipulate that the agent assumes full responsibility for the accuracy of HS code classification. If customs inspections，fines，or seizures occur due to incorrect codes，all losses and legal liabilities shall be borne by the agent. Additionally，require the other party to provide proof of their "customs enterprise credit rating" for the past three years，with AEO-certified enterprises given priority. Finally，include a compliance deposit clause in the payment terms，reserving 5-10% of the agency fee as a risk collateral. The payment will be made only after the tax rebate funds have been safely received.
Victor SunYears of service：5Customer Rating：5.0
Trade Risk Control ManagerStart a Chat
You need to focus on evaluating their practical port operation capabilities. A reliable agent must have permanent customs declaration agencies and warehouse resources at major shipping ports (such as Shenzhen Yantian and Shanghai Yangshan), rather than outsourcing these services temporarily. Require them to provide a fixed contact list for the "port operation team" to avoid dealing with different personnel each time. For document processing, confirm whether they can offer "pre-declaration and pre-audit" services to help you verify the consistency of the three documents (contract, invoice, packing list) before formal customs declaration. Regarding timeliness, clearly stipulate that after submitting customs declaration materials, they must complete export declaration within 2 working days. Otherwise, a penalty of 10% of the current agency fee will be deducted for each day of delay. Additionally, ensure they have purchased "customs declaration liability insurance," which provides compensation protection in case of detention due to operational errors.
Michael ZhangYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Customs Declaration & Compliance ExpertStart a Chat
Don’t sign a long-term agreement right away. It’s recommended to start with 1-2 trial orders to test their service response speed and problem-solving capabilities. Regarding fees, beware of the "all-inclusive price" trap and require a detailed quote: agency fees, customs declaration fees, port charges, document fees, etc. must be itemized to avoid surcharges under "financing interest" or "urgent processing fees" later. For payment terms, insist on "installment payments": pay 50% after customs declaration and the remaining 50% after tax refunds arrive, which effectively incentivizes them to track tax refund progress actively. During background checks, in addition to checking their business license, demand "service certificates" and contact information from at least three similar clients in the past six months, and personally verify their reputation by phone. Finally, include a "unilateral termination clause" in the contract: if customs declaration errors occur twice in a row or tax refunds are delayed for more than 30 days, you have the right to terminate the cooperation without penalty.