What an agency charges to plan and buy media: historically a 15 percent commission on media, now more often a percentage of spend (commonly 8 to 15 percent for digital), a fixed retainer, a fee based on staffing, or a performance component. Fee structures determine incentives; a percentage-of-spend fee rewards spending, a retainer rewards efficiency, and neither guarantees transparency about rebates.
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Used in The Signal
Cite this entry:
Agency Echelon. "Agency Fee." Agency Echelon Reference, reviewed September 2026. https://agencyechelon.com/reference/glossary/agency-fee/