TL;DR: China sourcing agents charge 5-10% for orders above $20,000. Smaller orders pay flat fees of $300-800 or 8-15%. Payment structure matters as much as the rate — transparent agents let you pay the factory directly. Hidden kickbacks from factories can make a “5% agent” more expensive than an “8% agent.”
I do this work. Here are the real numbers, not what Google scraped from some blog that copied another blog.
The Standard Model: Percentage of Order Value
| Order Size | Typical Rate | What You Pay on a $50,000 Order |
|---|---|---|
| Under $5,000 | 8-15% or flat $300-800 | $400-750 |
| $5,000 - $20,000 | 8-12% | $400-2,400 |
| $20,000 - $100,000 | 5-10% | $1,000-10,000 |
| Above $100,000 | 3-5% | Negotiated per project |
These numbers assume a standard sourcing service: supplier identification, negotiation, QC inspection, and logistics coordination. If the agent only does supplier matching (no inspection, no logistics), rates are lower. If they handle warehousing, consolidation, and Amazon FBA prep, rates are higher.
The Hidden Cost: Who Handles the Money
A 5% agent who takes all payments through their own account may cost you more than an 8% agent who lets you pay the factory directly. Why? The first agent can mark up the factory price without you knowing. They quote you $12 per unit. The factory charges $9. They pocket $3 per unit plus their 5% fee.
The second agent tells you the factory price is $9. Their 8% fee is separate and transparent. You pay the factory $9 directly. You pay the agent $0.72 per unit. Total cost: $9.72 per unit. Cheaper than the “5%” agent at $12.60 per unit.
Before signing anything, ask two questions:
- “Do I pay the factory directly?”
- “Can I see the factory’s invoice?”
If the answer to either is no, the quoted percentage is meaningless.
Flat Fee vs. Percentage: When Each Makes Sense
Percentage makes sense when: Your order is $20,000+ and the agent’s interests align with yours. A good agent paid on percentage wants your order to arrive on time at the right quality — because their reputation and future fees depend on it.
Flat fee makes sense when: Your order is small, standardized, and you already know the factory. You’re paying for inspection and logistics, not sourcing. A $500 flat fee on a $5,000 order is 10% — but if the agent saves you $3,000 by catching a quality problem, the fee earned itself back 6 times over.
Free Services That Aren’t Free
Some agents offer “free sourcing” or “zero commission.” They make money from factory kickbacks — the factory pays them 3-5% of your order value for bringing you as a customer. The factory then builds that 3-5% into your price.
This isn’t necessarily worse than paying the agent directly. The economics can work out similarly. But you should know who’s paying whom. An agent who won’t disclose their compensation structure is hiding something. An agent who will — whether they’re paid by you or the factory — is operating in good faith.
The Real Cost Question
The right question isn’t “how much does an agent cost.” It’s “what does getting this wrong cost?”
I’ve seen a single missed QC issue turn a $30,000 order into $15,000 of unsellable inventory. I’ve seen a factory delay eat an entire season’s sales for a brand that launched late. An agent’s 8% fee looks expensive until you compare it to what happens without one.
Written by Xinya Zhang. I charge 8% for full-service sourcing. You pay the factory directly. My fee is separate. Before you pay me anything, I’ll tell you honestly whether your order needs an agent at all. Tell me what you’re buying →