1688 Agent Fees: What a Small Order Really Costs
There is no useful agent-fee comparison without an order specification. A low purchasing fee can cover a different service from a higher quote that includes receiving, photos or repacking. Ask each provider to price the same order and identify what is excluded.
This guide provides a quote-comparison method, not a current price list. It does not rank agents or assume every provider charges each fee below.
Send one brief to every provider
Specify product links, quantities by variant, acceptable substitutions, destination, expected inspection and whether you need purchasing or only forwarding. If a supplier has not confirmed packaging or stock, mark those details as pending. Use the request-for-quotation tool to keep the requirements consistent.
Request these cost lines
| Cost | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Goods and Chinese domestic delivery | Is the price confirmed for my variants and quantities? Is delivery charged by each seller? |
| Purchasing or sourcing assistance | Is the fee fixed, percentage-based, per item or subject to a minimum? What amount is the percentage applied to? |
| Payment and conversion | Which currency do I pay, what rate is used, and which payment charges are separate? |
| Receiving and inspection | Are counts, photos, measurements or functional checks included? |
| Storage and packaging | What storage allowance applies? What does removing or replacing packaging cost? |
| Transport and destination | What are the packed dimensions, billing method, delivery coverage and exclusions? |
| Returns or cancellation | Which service charges remain payable, and who pays return transport? |
For every line, record currency, quantity, billing unit, quote validity and whether the amount is estimated or confirmed. If inspection is included in the service fee, do not add it again as a separate cost.
A small-order comparison
The following is a hypothetical exercise. Both offers are assumed to cover the same goods and agreed inspection. They are not real providers or current shipping rates.
| Quoted item, CNY | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Goods | 200 | 200 |
| Domestic delivery | 15 | 15 |
| Purchasing service | 10 | 25 |
| Inspection and packing | 30 | Included in service |
| International transport estimate | 170 | 160 |
| Subtotal of listed items | 425 | 400 |
Offer A has the lower purchasing fee but the higher subtotal. Neither subtotal is a complete landed price: payment, conversion, import and unquoted destination charges remain unresolved. Transport estimates also need confirmation against final packaging.
Ask for a quote you can reconcile
Please quote the attached products and quantities for delivery to [destination]. Separate goods, domestic delivery, purchasing, inspection, storage, packing and international transport. Mark bundled items as included. State the payment currency and exchange-rate basis, minimum charges, exclusions, quote expiry and which amounts can change after packing. Please also explain cancellation and warehouse-return charges.
Before approving dispatch, compare the final invoice with this record. Ask for the reason and supporting measurement for each changed line. Save both versions so a later adjustment can be traced.
Common questions
Should I compare percentages or total charges?
Record both. A percentage is incomplete without its base amount and any minimum charge. Compare the resulting total for the same order.
Can I assume missing fees are included?
No. Ask the provider to label them included, excluded, not applicable or not yet quoted.
Where do I calculate the budget?
Use the cost worksheet to record confirmed and estimated amounts. If a key cost is unknown, obtain it before using the result as an order budget.
Sources and scope
Source review: 19 September 2026. Community discussions identify questions buyers ask; they do not establish platform rules or verify a service provider.
Read our editorial policy and source standards.