The short answer
For most small businesses, a China sourcing agent costs between 3% and 10% of your order value, or a flat fee of $150 to $800 per task if you only need one thing done — a factory audit, an inspection, or a handful of quotes compared.
On a first order, the total usually lands between 8% and 25% of the goods value. On repeat orders with the same supplier, it drops to roughly 5% to 10%. The agent did not get cheaper. You just stopped needing most of what they do.
What you are actually paying for
Before talking price, it helps to see where the hours go. A sourcing agent handles some or all of this:
- Searching factories and filtering out trading companies that present themselves as manufacturers
- Collecting quotes, comparing them, and explaining why one factory is 30% cheaper (usually materials or labor conditions)
- Verifying business licenses, export rights, and product certifications
- Arranging and attending factory audits
- Collecting samples and shipping them to you
- Negotiating price, MOQ, payment terms, and lead time
- Placing the order and paying the factory in RMB
- Monitoring production and catching problems before shipment
- Booking pre-shipment inspections
- Consolidating goods from several suppliers into one shipment
- Booking freight and preparing export documents
- Chasing the factory when something goes wrong
The more of that list you need, the more you pay. This is the biggest driver of cost, not the agent's hourly rate.
The four pricing models you will run into
Percentage commission
The most common. Usually 5% to 8% of order value, sometimes 3% on large orders and up to 10% on small or complex ones. Most agents set a minimum fee per order — $150 to $500 — so a $2,000 order does not earn them $100.
Ask whether the percentage is calculated on the FOB value or on everything you pay including freight. The difference matters on bulky, low-value goods.
Flat fee per service
Good if you only need one piece of the puzzle:
- Supplier sourcing and quoting: $200 to $800
- Factory audit: $300 to $600 per day
- Pre-shipment inspection: $100 to $300 per man-day, plus travel
- Sample collection and shipping: $50 to $150 plus courier cost
- Document review or translation: $50 to $200
Monthly retainer
Common for businesses that order regularly. $500 to $3,000 per month, depending on volume and how many products you are developing. Many agents credit part of the retainer against future commissions.
Hourly
$30 to $80 per hour. Rare in sourcing, more common for consulting, market research, or fixing a mess someone else created.
Typical prices, service by service
| Service | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier search and quotes | $200–$800 flat, or 5–10% commission | Often credited back if you place an order |
| Factory audit | $300–$600 per day | One day covers most small factories |
| Pre-shipment inspection | $100–$300 per man-day + travel | Usually 1–2 man-days |
| Sample collection | $50–$150 + courier | You still pay for the sample itself |
| Order management | 3–8% of order value | Minimum fee usually applies |
| Consolidation and freight booking | $100–$300 per shipment | Sometimes free if they book the freight |
| Full service, start to finish | 5–10% of order value | Covers most of the list above |
A real example: 500 custom bags
Say you want 500 custom tote bags at $8 each. Order value: $4,000.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Supplier sourcing and vetting | $400 |
| Factory audit | $450 |
| Sample plus courier | $125 |
| Pre-shipment inspection | $250 |
| Commission (8% of $4,000) | $320 |
| Total agent cost | $1,545 |
That is about 38% of your order value, which sounds painful until you look at order number two. Same supplier, same product:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Pre-shipment inspection | $250 |
| Commission (8%) | $320 |
| Total | $570 |
Now it is 14%. By the fourth or fifth order, if you trust the factory and only need occasional checks, you are down to commission alone — 8%.
This is why agents feel expensive on small first orders. Fixed costs like audits, samples, and vetting do not shrink just because your order is small.
What pushes the price up
- Low order value. Fixed costs spread across fewer units.
- Complex products. Electronics, food-contact materials, children's products, and anything with safety rules need testing and extra factory visits.
- Multiple suppliers. Each one needs its own vetting, inspection, and paperwork.
- Tight deadlines. Rush work costs more, especially around Chinese New Year.
- DDP shipping. Door-to-door delivery with duties handled takes more coordination than FOB.
- You are new to importing. Agents spend more time correcting specs, explaining processes, and sorting out payment problems.
Costs that never appear on the quote
Budget for these separately:
- Bank fees. International wires run $25 to $50 each, and there are often two — one to the agent, one to the factory.
- Travel. If the agent visits a factory in another province, someone pays the train, hotel, and meals. Ask who.
- Exchange rate spread. Some agents quote a rate slightly worse than the market and keep the difference.
- Storage. If goods sit in a warehouse waiting on other suppliers, expect a daily fee.
- Re-inspection. Fail the first inspection and you pay for the second.
- Lab testing. Compliance testing can run $200 to $2,000 depending on the standard.
Questions to ask before you sign anything
- Is your commission based on the FOB price or the total landed cost?
- What is the minimum fee per order?
- Do you also receive money from the factory? If so, how much, and is it deducted from my commission?
- Is the sourcing fee credited if I place an order?
- Who pays for travel on audits and inspections?
- What happens if the goods fail inspection?
- Can I see the factory invoice you received?
Question three is the one people skip. Some agents take a cut from the factory on top of your fee. That does not automatically make them dishonest, but you should know about it, because it changes whose side they are on when you negotiate price.
When you do not need an agent
If you are buying a simple, low-risk product from a supplier you already trust, through a platform with buyer protection, and your order is under $2,000, an agent can cost more than the risk is worth.
You probably do need one if any of these apply:
- You do not read Chinese and the factory replies in fragments
- Your product has safety or compliance requirements
- You are about to wire a deposit to a company you have never seen
- You need goods from three factories combined into one container
- Your last order went wrong and you still do not know why
Comparing two quotes fairly
A 5% agent and an 8% agent are not the same job with different margins. Ask both for a written breakdown of what is included, whether inspections are done in-house or subcontracted, and what happens when a shipment is late or defective. The 8% quote often includes things the 5% quote bills separately, and the final numbers end up close. The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest outcome.
If you want a straight number for your specific product, Globesino prices sourcing, factory audits, inspection, consolidation, and delivery as one package so you can see the total before committing. Send us your product and target quantity, and we will tell you what it costs.