Agent fees explained: service fee, payment fee, and hidden costs

The advertised price of an item on a Chinese seller's listing is not what you pay. Layered on top are the agent's fees. Understanding each layer separately helps you compare agents and budget realistically.

Service fee

The core charge. Usually 5-10% of item value, calculated at checkout. This pays the agent for finding the item, communicating with the seller, receiving and storing the parcel, and taking QC photos.

Typical 2026 rates: KakoBuy 5-7%, CSSBuy ~5%, Sugargoo 5-10% depending on item type, CNFans ~5% with VIP tiers, ACBUY 5-8%, OOPBuy 5-7%, Hubbuy 5-8%, Superbuy 5-10%, Mulebuy 0% on item (recovers on shipping), Hoobuy 0-5%. Smaller agents like Joyagoo, Loongbuy, Pikobuy, and Lovegobuy cluster around 5-7%.

Some agents waive the service fee entirely and recover the margin on shipping markup instead — Mulebuy and a few others advertise this. Net cost is usually similar.

Payment fee

What you pay the payment processor: PayPal 4.4% + $0.30, Wise 1-2%, credit card 2-4%, Alipay top-up 0-1%. The agent passes this through; they don't profit from it.

Tip: Wise or Alipay top-up is materially cheaper than PayPal. If you order regularly, a $5-10 saving per order compounds.

Currency conversion spread

Agent platforms convert CNY to USD/EUR/GBP at their own rate, usually 1-3% above the spot rate. This is invisible — you see USD pricing at checkout, but the agent has marked up the conversion. PayPal adds its own conversion spread on top.

Tip: pay in CNY directly if your payment method allows (some Wise and crypto rails). You'll see 2-5% savings versus the agent's auto-converted price.

Domestic China shipping

The seller's domestic shipping cost — usually CNY 10-30 ($1.50-4) — appears on the order. Some sellers offer free domestic shipping; most don't.

Storage fee

Free for the first 60-180 days, depending on agent. After that: typically CNY 0.5-1 per item per day. Most buyers don't hit this if they consolidate within a reasonable window.

Packaging fee

Most agents include basic packaging for free. Premium options (extra padding, gift wrap, vacuum compression to reduce volumetric weight) cost CNY 5-20 ($0.70-3).

International shipping

The big one. Depends on weight, volume, route, and country. See our DHL vs EMS vs economy guide for routes. Common ranges to the US:

• DHL Express, 1kg: $25-35
• EMS, 1kg: $18-25
• Sensitive economy, 1kg: $10-15
• Bulky items (sneakers in box, jackets): scale up rapidly

Most agents take a 5-20% markup on shipping. Heavier markups land on agents that waived service fees.

Insurance

Optional, typically 1-3% of declared value. Worth considering for parcels over $300 or routes with unreliable tracking.

Customs duty (you, not the agent)

If your declared value exceeds your country's de minimis (US $800, UK £135, EU €150, AU $1000), you pay duty on arrival. The agent does not charge this — the carrier or customs office bills you directly. See customs and import duties.

Total markup over sticker

For a $30 item with consolidated shipping to the US, total typically lands at $40-50. Per the breakdown: $30 item + $1.5 domestic + $1.8 service + $1.4 payment + $0.8 currency spread + $12-20 international = $47-55. Compared to retail prices for equivalent goods in Western stores, you're often still saving 50-70%.