1. What is a Taobao proxy fee?

A Taobao proxy "fee" is the service charge for the work involved on the China side — purchasing, settlement and international delivery. Because Chinese EC sites basically have no Japanese support, accept payment in CNY, and do not ship overseas, going through an agent removes all of these barriers at once.

Fees fall into three main pricing types, each with a very different cost profile.

For a detailed comparison, see the China import proxy comparison guide.

2. What are typical fee rates? [industry comparison]

The typical Taobao proxy fee rates, grouped by pricing type.

Pricing typeTypical rateBest for
Percentage5%–10% of purchase amountIndividuals / side business whose sourcing volume varies by month
Monthly¥3,000–¥10,000/month + commissionCompanies sourcing a steady, large quantity each month
Fixed per ordera few hundred to ¥1,500 per orderSmall-value, small-lot test sourcing
POINT: Don't compare only the surface fee — it's important to compare the total: "is there a separate monthly fee?", "is there a margin on the exchange rate?", and "is inspection included?". For the detailed checklist, see the guide on choosing a proxy service.

3. Costs beyond the service fee (hidden costs)

Here are 4 items that tend to quietly inflate the bill beyond the agency fee.

1

Exchange-rate spread (yen–CNY conversion margin)

Many agents add about a 1%–3% margin on the market rate when converting CNY into yen. On ¥100,000 of purchases, that's roughly ¥1,000–¥3,000.

2

International & domestic shipping

Separately from the fee, you pay shipping from China to Japan. It varies greatly between air and sea, so choose according to weight and delivery date using the logistics plans.

3

Warehouse storage fee

When consolidating multiple items for shipping to Japan, storage at the local China warehouse applies. This item varies widely — from free to a few hundred yen per day.

4

Inspection fee, customs duty & consumption tax

Agents that treat inspection as an option charge a few hundred yen per item. Customs duty and consumption tax at import also apply separately (customs duty guide).

4. 5 tips to lower your fees

1

Buy in bulk and consolidate shipping

Because the fixed part of the fee and international shipping is large "per shipment", buying and shipping several items together greatly lowers the per-item cost.

2

Choose a no-monthly-fee agent

For a side business or trial sourcing, a monthly plan with fixed cost every month is a risk. With a no-monthly-fee agent, you won't run a loss even if items don't sell.

3

Get inspection done early

Sending defective goods to Japan adds return/exchange costs on top. Choosing an agent with a solid pre-shipment inspection system ultimately reduces cost.

4

Pick the shipping method by weight and urgency

If it isn't urgent, choosing sea freight saves a lot on international shipping. The trick is to use air only for rush items.

5

Get quotes from 3+ companies

Even for the same goods and quantity, the fee, exchange rate and service differ by agent. Always compare quotes from multiple companies.

5. allallbuy pricing plan

At allallbuy, we keep the pricing plan simple so you can start China importing without anxiety.

Itemallallbuy price
Monthly usage fee¥0
Joining / annual fee¥0
Buying service feeQuoted in advance based on purchase amount
International shippingSettled at actual cost, clearly shown by weight
InspectionBasic inspection included (custom inspection quoted in advance)
OtherAny cost that arises is explained in advance

If you just want to know "roughly how much it costs", a free estimate is available by sending only the product URL. Feel free to use the free consultation form.

6. FAQ

The industry norm is about 5%–10% of the purchase amount. However, many agents also charge a separate monthly fee, so the total cost must be compared across each company's pricing plan. allallbuy has no monthly fee, and the service fee is clearly quoted according to the purchase amount.
It depends on the agent, but in most cases you pay it together with the product price when you buy. At allallbuy, we issue a quote in advance and you confirm the total (product price + service fee + international shipping) before ordering, so the bill never goes up afterwards.
Many agents add about a 1%–3% margin on the exchange rate when converting CNY payments into yen. When choosing an agent, check whether the rate is close to the market rate or whether it is included in the fee.
allallbuy has no monthly fee. With no fixed monthly cost, you can start with peace of mind even while shipping volume is unpredictable, such as for a side business or test sourcing. You only pay for what you use, with no wasted cost.
Some agents charge an extra few hundred yen per item for inspection. Basic simple inspection is included in allallbuy's base price; we quote in advance for customized inspection only when you request it.
Yes, we can handle proxy buying even for small amounts. However, when the per-item purchase value is small, the relative cost of the service fee and international shipping feels larger. Buying in bulk or combining multiple items into one package greatly lowers the per-item cost.

7. Summary — start by comparing quotes

Taobao proxy fees are best compared on the total of "surface fee + fixed monthly cost + FX margin + inspection & shipping."

allallbuy supports China importing for both individuals and companies, with no monthly fee, 14 years of experience, and 3,000+ companies served. Why not start with a free quote to see how much the items you want to source would cost delivered?

We'll quote your Taobao proxy fees for free

Just send the product URL. We'll guide you through the total — including fee, shipping and customs — at no charge.

Free consultation See pricing