This one takes the cake. Decorator, schmecorator.

[bobslost]

 There are some designers who can open some doors for you that on your own would never be open. That being said it doesn't hurt to checkout who your working for before you start the work. Just like every other business not all designers are ethical or are known for doing quality work.
  I do have designers that once in a while ask me to pad the price a little , but those arraignments are made prier to any quotes. Usual I bill them and they bill the customer and any mark up they charge is up to them.
As far as other upholsters and shops go in my area ,we pretty much all get along there is plenty to go around .

[Mojo]

I do not have a horse in this race but I am always curious and enjoy reading posts from you furniture guys and gals. It is an area of this business I have never jumped into and never will. Trust me. :) With that said I probably wouldn't be very good at it considering I have a very low opinion of designers. I just do not get it. With the way we are all so technically involved in society what good would a decorator do but eat up alot of good money ? Can't we all find design idea's on the internet ? Why not walk into a shop of a good furniture upholsterer and have them help you select fabric ?

Maybe the reason I despise decorators is because it is a pass down of the rich and famous. So someone who want's to keep up with their country club friend hires a decorator. The in / vogue thing.
Most of these small time decorators have never attended a formal college or University and studied interior design and decorating. They just hang a shingle out based on their ability to pick colors.
I guess I just feel like Mike and Dennis does and that is decorators can go pound sand.
I am alot like Bobbin, I have no time or the stomach for jack-assing around.

Back to the point of this thread. I sometimes have to deal with coach dealers and service centers. They are a royal PITA and I despise working with them. I hate seeing customers gouged and I hate cutting my margins for them to gouge their customers. But I have a golden rule that I never stray from. If a dealer wants to place an order they understand that THEY are the customer. I will not deal with their customer, even under warranty claims. I sell to a dealer on a thinner margin and the dealer does all the work. I want no contact with their customer. Ever. If the dealer wants dealer net pricing then the dealer will have to do all the work before and after the sale. At this point I am simply the manufacturer.

Thankfully I only do a few jobs a year for dealers. I hide from them and avoid them like I avoid Ebola. I think what this decorator wants is a referral fee Perry. In the business world it is common to give kickers ( a thank you fee ) to someone referring a deal to them. But in most cases it is small. Over the years I have gotten a lot of checks, cash and gift cards for passing on a deal to someone I know and who made money off the deal. I never expect it as I do it as a favor but their gesture, even if it is a thank you card is nice.

In your case I would be livid. I would never pass a deal on to someone and then demand a 15 % kicker in return. If I pass someone off to someone and they make some cash on the deal then cool. I pass deals on to others out of respect for that person. But for me to demand a 15 % kicker in return would be a low blow and show I was a greedy frigging pig and somehow make me look entitled. Actually for me to even ask for anything in return is rotten. You make referrals out of respect, admiration and friendships. 

Chris

[bobbin]

Since I've been self-employed I've "lost" very few designers because of my pricing.  Sure, there are some I don't "see" regularly, but not every designer needs my skills on every job.  And when the long "lost" come back to me I never assume they've been "price shopping". 

I work really hard to crank out nice work, be fair with my pricing, and so far I think it's working...