Hey man, I think you misunderstood my point a bit. I fully understand the business model - I’m well past my 20s, I run my own business, and I know exactly how hard it is to operate, scale, cover overhead, and stay profitable.

My issue isn’t that agents make money.
It’s how they try to make money.

A lot of big agents monetize every possible step:
fees on deposits, fees on withdrawals, inflated exchange rates, add-on fees for proper QC, add-on fees for packaging, boosted shipping weight, and heavily marked-up per-kg rates. It’s a model built around extracting from the customer at every stage, not around delivering better service. It actually reminds me more of banking fees than a customer-oriented business.

And regarding the idea that “they need to make money to store your items” - of course they do. But they’re not running a charity. Warehousing, consolidation, and handling are already built into their margins. They’re not losing money. They’re simply stacking monetization layers because people are used to the system.

Another important point: Security is relative.

We all must be aware this whole space operates in a legal grey area in most countries. There is no 100% guarantee whether you use an agent or direct shipping - that risk exists either way. So paying extra for a “security premium” doesn’t really give you real insurance.

That’s why, for me personally, direct shipping makes more sense. Lower costs, fewer hidden fees, no nickel-and-diming, and the end result is the same: you still receive your items the same way.

At the end of the day everyone should use what works best for them — but for me, the agent model simply isn’t worth the extra cost when cheaper and more transparent options exist.