Chapter 05 · Costs
The flat 8% fee, on one honest receipt
Fansbuy makes money one way: a flat 8% service fee on the item. Everything else is pass-through. Here’s the whole picture.
Order receipt
Fansbuy · sample
Seller item price$46.00
China domestic shipping$2.10
Service fee — flat 8%$3.68
FX margin (hidden)$0.00
Paid to buy the item$51.78
Live FX · no markup
International shipping is quoted separately after QC, by weight + line.
What each line means
- Seller item price — exactly what the Chinese seller charges, at the live mid-market exchange rate.
- China domestic shipping — seller → Fansbuy warehouse, usually a couple of dollars.
- Service fee (8%) — the only cut Fansbuy takes to place and manage the order.
- FX margin — $0. Many “fee-free” agents quietly widen the exchange rate; Fansbuy states no hidden fees.
Shipping is quoted later
International shipping is not in this receipt. It’s calculated after QC by real/volumetric weight and the line you choose — so you never overpay on an estimate.
Why flat beats “free”
The margin trick, made visible
Compare the total, not the label
A 0% “fee” with a 3–5% rate markup can cost more than a clear 8%. Always compare the final paid amount.
Live exchange rates
Fansbuy converts at the mid-market rate shown at checkout, so the number you see is the number you pay.
New-member coupons
Fansbuy periodically issues welcome coupons — check the News page before your first order.
Plan your landed cost
A quick mental model: item + 8% + domestic to get it to the warehouse, then international shipping once you consolidate. Two clear numbers, no surprises.
Independent partner guide. fansbuyspreadsheet.com is an independent guide operated in partnership with the Fansbuy agent — it is not the official site. For orders, payments, QC and policies always use the official fansbuy.com. Product discovery links go to w2cspreadsheet.com. We never set prices or hold your money.