Short answer: most China sourcing agents charge 3%–10% of your order value, and 5% is the number you will see most often. If you have no order volume yet, expect a monthly retainer of $300–$2,000 or an hourly rate of $30–$100. Audits and inspections are billed on top, usually $250–$500 per man-day.
The gap between the cheapest and the most expensive quote for the same product can be ten times. That gap is rarely about honesty. It is about what is included, how the agent gets paid, and how much risk sits with them.
What you are actually paying for
A sourcing agent is not a supplier list. The work usually covers:
- Finding and shortlisting factories that can genuinely make your product
- Verifying the company is real: business licence, export record, actual production floor
- Getting quotes and comparing them line by line, not just on unit price
- Negotiating MOQ, lead time, payment terms and tooling cost
- Coordinating samples, and warning you when a sample looks fine but will fail in mass production
- Following production, chasing delays, solving problems in Chinese
- Booking inspections and reading the report for you
- Handling shipping, consolidation, documents and customs paperwork
How much of that list you need decides the price far more than the country or the product category.
The five pricing models
| Model | Typical rate | Works well for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission | 3%–10% of order value (5% is standard) | Repeat orders, $20k+ per order | Minimum monthly invoice; commission on an inflated unit price |
| Monthly retainer | $300–$2,000/month | Ongoing multi-SKU sourcing | Unused hours, vague scope |
| Flat fee per project | $200–$1,500 per sourcing project | One-off supplier searches | Extra charges for follow-up work |
| Hourly | $30–$100/hour | Consulting, short tasks, document checks | No ceiling on total cost |
| Hybrid | $300–$800/month + 2%–4% commission | First orders with growth potential | Two sets of fees to track |
Most experienced buyers end up on commission or hybrid. Most first-time buyers start with a flat fee, then move to commission once they have a repeat order.
Typical price ranges by service
| Service | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier search and shortlist | $300–$800 | Often included in a retainer |
| Supplier verification / background check | $100–$300 | Licence, export records, references |
| Factory audit | $400–$1,200 per factory | Third-party firms charge more |
| Pre-shipment inspection | $100–$300 per man-day (local agent) | $300–$500 via SGS, QIMA, BV |
| Sample coordination | $50–$150 plus sample and courier | Sample cost is separate |
| Production follow-up | 1%–2%, or included | Depends on the agent |
| Freight and consolidation | Freight cost + $50–$300 handling | Ask whether freight is marked up |
| Interpretation / translation | $50–$300 per day | Technical work costs more |
| Lab testing and certification | $200–$1,500+ per test | Depends on the standard |
A worked example
You place a $50,000 order for 5,000 units at $10 each.
- Commission at 5%: $2,500
- One factory audit: $600
- One pre-shipment inspection: $250
- Samples and courier: $150
Total: $3,500, or about 7% of order value, or $0.70 per unit. Against the cost of a failed batch, that is usually easy to justify.
Now the same service on an $8,000 first order. The fixed fees do not shrink. $800 in commission plus $1,000 in services is $1,800, or 22% of the order. This is why agents quote higher percentages for small orders — and why some simply turn them down.
What moves the price up or down
- Order value. Commission percentages fall as order value rises. Orders above $100k often land at 3%–5%.
- Product complexity. A cotton tote bag is simple. A Bluetooth speaker with a battery, a charger and printed packaging is not.
- Compliance needs. Toys, electronics, food-contact items and anything for children pull in testing and certification costs.
- How ready you are. With a full spec sheet, a target price and a reference sample, the agent spends less time guessing. That shows up in the quote.
- Number of suppliers. One factory is cheaper to manage than five.
- Factory location. Audits in Guangdong and Zhejiang are cheap to reach. Inland provinces add travel days.
- Who carries the risk. An agent who pays the factory and absorbs payment risk will charge more than one who only makes introductions.
Costs that never appear in the quote
Buyers are usually surprised by these:
- Sample costs and international courier, often $50–$200 per sample round
- Travel if you visit China yourself: flights, hotel, visa, interpreter
- Tooling and moulds: $500 for a simple die, $5,000–$30,000+ for injection moulds
- Lab testing charged per SKU, not per order
- Bank and currency transfer fees, plus the exchange rate spread
- Freight surcharges: peak season, fuel, port congestion
- Duties, tariffs and customs brokerage in your country
- Storage when goods arrive before you are ready to sell
- Rework or returns if a batch fails after delivery
A quote that ignores these is not cheaper. It is just incomplete.
The commission conflict you should ask about
Some agents are paid by the factory and charge you nothing. That sounds free. In practice the factory adds the agent's cut to the unit price, so you pay for it without seeing it.
Ask three questions before you sign:
- Who pays you — me, the factory, or both?
- Can I see the factory's quotation or invoice directly?
- Is your commission calculated on FOB value or landed cost?
An agent who answers clearly is worth more than one who is 2% cheaper and vague.
What it costs to do it without an agent
Ten to fourteen days in China, flights at $800–$1,500, hotels at $100–$200 a night, a visa, an interpreter, and weeks of email in a language you do not read. That is $3,000–$6,000 of real money before you buy a single unit.
It can work if you are buying something simple and plan to visit. It rarely works if the product is technical, needs certification, or you cannot get on a plane.
How to compare quotes
- Ask for an all-in number for your exact order, not a rate card
- Ask what is excluded, then write it down
- Ask what happens if the shipment fails inspection
- Ask for one redacted inspection report and one audit report as samples
- Ask how many clients they have in your product category
- Ask who owns the supplier relationship after the contract ends
What most buyers end up paying
| Order size | Realistic all-in cost |
|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | $800–$2,000, or 10%–20% |
| $10,000–$50,000 | 6%–10% |
| $50,000–$200,000 | 4%–7% |
| $200,000+ | 2%–5% |
Treat these as budgeting ranges, not rules. The better question is not which agent is cheapest, but what a failed order would cost you and what is a fair price to avoid one.
Globesino acts as a local team in China for overseas buyers, covering supplier search, factory audits, inspections, shipping and delivery under one quote. Tell us your product and expected order size, and we will tell you what it costs before you commit to anything.