For the same batch of goods, one sourcing agent may quote the product cost plus a service fee, another may offer a single unit price, and a third may leave shipping to be calculated separately later.
These quotes often look different because the pricing model and scope of service differ. To make sense of them, separate two questions: how the agent's service fee is calculated, and how much it will cost in total to get the goods to their destination.
What does the service fee cover?
A sourcing service fee pays for the purchasing work you ask an agent to handle. Common tasks include discussing specifications and quantities with suppliers, helping place orders and make payments, and following up on production or dispatch.
Knowing exactly which product and supplier you want is a different brief from having only a product photo and needing someone to find a factory. The first is mainly about carrying out the purchase; the second also involves supplier sourcing, sample comparisons and communicating product requirements.
Before comparing service fees, be clear about the work you need the agent to do.
For example, if you want the goods checked before dispatch, specify what that means. Checking quantity, color and obvious damage is not the same as testing every item's functions. Two quotes may both say "inspection" while covering different tasks.
Clear requirements give you a meaningful basis for comparing fees.
How do common pricing models differ?
A percentage of the goods' value, with a minimum charge
Under this model, the fee is usually calculated by multiplying the agreed product value by the service fee rate. For smaller orders, a minimum charge may also apply.
For example, one of Platform A's published purchasing plans for buyers who already have a supplier charges 5% of the goods' value, with a US$100 minimum. If the value of a single product line is US$1,000, 5% would be US$50, but the base service fee is still US$100. That is effectively 10% of the product value, before any other applicable charges.
For small purchases, the percentage alone does not tell the whole story. The minimum charge, and whether it applies per order, per supplier or per sourcing project, will affect what you actually pay.
Tiered fees based on order value
Some agents reduce their service fee rate as the order value increases.
Platform B's published plan charges 10% for orders of US$1,001–3,000, 9% for US$3,001–6,000, and 6% from US$20,001. Orders below US$1,000 are charged US$100.
So when you see "service fees from 6%," check which tier your order falls into. The same pricing plan can work very differently for a small trial order and a larger purchase.
No separately listed service fee
There is more than one reason a quote might not list a service fee separately.
In one model, the fee is included in the product's unit price. Another of Platform A's plans works this way: rather than listing a separate service fee, it incorporates the overall charges into the product quote.
In another model, the buying service fee is waived for particular types of purchases. For example, Platform C does not charge a buying service fee for ordinary purchases from Taobao, Tmall, JD and 1688. International shipping and optional value-added services are charged separately, and special purchases follow different rules.
For the first model, compare the overall quotes for the same products and scope of service. For the second, add the services and shipping you actually need. "Zero service fee" alone does not tell you the final amount payable.
These anonymized examples are drawn from publicly available plans verified as of November 3, 2026. They illustrate pricing models, not a ranking of platforms with identical service scopes.
What costs are there beyond the service fee?
The goods usually make up a major part of the purchasing budget, but first make sure you are comparing like-for-like products. Specifications, quantities and packaging requirements can all affect unit prices. Two quotes may appear to cover the same product without actually reflecting the same purchasing conditions.
If the goods pass through a warehouse in China before being shipped overseas, allow for domestic shipping from the supplier to the warehouse. A supplier's "free shipping" offer should not automatically be taken to include international transport.
Once the goods reach the warehouse, you may need inspection, photography, labeling, repacking or storage. Not every purchase needs every service. If the original packaging already meets your shipping and sales requirements, for example, repacking may be unnecessary. Goods going directly to end customers may need additional labels or specific packaging.
International freight is another expense to calculate separately. It depends on the destination, shipping method and chargeable weight after packing. Bulky but lightweight goods may be charged by volumetric weight, so an estimate based only on the products' net weight can be misleading.
Whether import duties and taxes, customs clearance and last-mile delivery are included depends on the scope of the shipping quote. Any payment or currency conversion charges also belong in the budget.
These costs are not necessarily all collected by the sourcing agent, nor are they always itemized separately. Do not add an included charge twice, and do not treat an amount that is still unknown as zero.
How do you turn a quote into a usable purchasing budget?
Start by sorting the costs into three groups:
- Confirmed: the goods, the agreed sourcing service fee, and any inspection or packaging services you have selected.
- Estimated: international freight before the goods have been packed and weighed, for example.
- Not included: import duties and taxes, or an additional service that the quote explicitly excludes.
This helps separate "what I need to pay now" from "what I expect the whole purchase to cost," while making it clear which amounts may still change.
For example, if the product cost and sourcing fee are confirmed but international freight has not been quoted, the amount in front of you only covers the purchasing stage. It is not the total budget for having the goods delivered. The next step is to obtain the packed dimensions, weight and shipping options, rather than continuing to negotiate only the service fee.
When comparing two quotes, align the product specifications, quantities, required services, shipping scope and currency. A quote that omits a necessary service is not automatically cheaper, and a higher price alone is not proof of better service.
What information is most useful when requesting a quote?
You do not need a complicated procurement document to get started. Product links or photos, specifications, quantities, the delivery location, and any required inspection or packaging work are usually enough to make the discussion more specific.
You can use this request:
Here are the product links, specifications, quantities and delivery location for my purchase. Please itemize the goods, sourcing service, required inspection/packaging and shipping costs, and identify what is included, estimated or not yet covered. If a minimum charge applies, please explain what it is charged per.
If a cost cannot yet be confirmed, ask what information is missing and at which stage a quote can be provided.
A useful quote does not have to fix every amount from the start. It should make clear which costs have an established basis, which still need estimating, and why they might be adjusted later.
There is no single sourcing agent fee percentage that fits every order. For small purchases, check minimum charges first. For routine purchases, examine the calculation basis and included services. For custom products, define the scope of work in more detail.
What ultimately matters is the total cost of meeting the same purchasing requirements and getting the goods to the required destination.