Short answer: PN Sourcing’s standard sourcing and purchasing support is 5% of approved product value. International shipping and other scope-dependent services are quoted separately. No membership or monthly subscription is required.
What Is Included in a 1688 Agent Fee?
The fee should reflect the work required to manage the purchase, not only the act of sending payment. A defined sourcing scope may include:
- Reviewing 1688 product links and supplier profiles
- Confirming price, MOQ, variations, lead time and domestic delivery
- Communicating with suppliers in Chinese
- Coordinating approved RMB payments
- Following order and production progress
- Receiving goods at a China warehouse
- Checking agreed quantities and visible package condition
- Consolidating products from multiple suppliers
- Preparing cargo data for international shipping
Always ask the agent to state the included work in writing. Two companies using the same percentage may provide very different levels of support.
PN Sourcing’s Current Service Rate
PN Sourcing’s standard sourcing and purchasing service fee is 5% of approved product value. The exact scope and any separately quoted services are confirmed in writing before work begins.
See the China sourcing service pricing before requesting a quotation.
What Is Usually Charged Separately?
- Product samples and domestic courier costs
- On-site Factory Inspection — USD 200; other inspection requirements are quoted according to scope.
- Laboratory testing or certification
- Custom packaging, labels, inserts and barcode work
- Long-term or exceptional warehouse storage
- Repacking, kitting and special handling
- International freight, insurance, duties and destination charges
- Complex product development or extensive OEM/ODM work
These items should not be hidden inside an unclear service percentage. A transparent quotation separates product cost, China domestic costs, service fee, optional work and international shipping.
Percentage Fee vs Flat Project Fee
Percentage fee
Works well when the purchasing value and operational scope are clear. It allows the service cost to scale with the order.
Flat project fee
May suit supplier research, verification, product development or other work that is not directly tied to an order value.
Neither model is automatically cheaper. Compare the responsibilities, deliverables and exclusions rather than choosing only the lowest headline number.
Example Cost Calculation
This is an illustrative calculation, not a customer case or final quotation. If approved product value is USD 10,000 and the standard sourcing rate is 5%, the sourcing fee would be USD 500. Product cost, samples, domestic delivery, inspection and international freight remain separate unless the written quotation says otherwise.
Why the Lowest Agent Fee May Cost More
- An unverified supplier may fail to deliver the required product.
- Incorrect variations or packaging can create expensive rework.
- No inspection before shipping may move a quality problem overseas.
- Poor consolidation records can cause missing cartons or delays.
- An incomplete freight quotation can create unexpected destination charges.
The practical comparison is total landed cost, execution risk and accountability—not only the sourcing percentage.
How to Compare 1688 Agent Quotations
- Confirm whether the rate applies to product value before or after domestic delivery.
- Ask exactly which supplier communication and order-management tasks are included.
- Separate receiving checks from a detailed product inspection.
- Confirm warehouse free-storage period and later storage charges.
- Request the international shipping inclusions and exclusions.
- Confirm who is responsible when specifications, quantities or deadlines are wrong.
- Ask how payments and supplier order records will be documented.
If you are deciding between different types of support, read 1688 agent vs freight forwarder and review our 1688 sourcing agent service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a membership to use PN Sourcing?
No. PN Sourcing does not require a membership or monthly subscription. Services are quoted according to the approved order and required scope.
Is international shipping included in the agent fee?
Normally no. International freight depends on actual cargo weight, volume, route, destination and service level, so it is quoted separately.
Is quality inspection included?
Basic receiving checks and a detailed quality inspection are different services. The quotation should state the exact inspection scope and any separate fee.
What is PN Sourcing’s standard sourcing fee?
The standard sourcing and purchasing service fee is 5% of approved product value. International shipping and other scope-dependent services are quoted separately.
Request a Clear 1688 Sourcing Quotation
Send your 1688 links, quantity per SKU, destination country and required services. PN Sourcing will separate product cost, service fee, optional checks and shipping-related costs for review.