<HTML>In a message dated 5/9/03= 3:57:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time, cedel@supernet.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-= LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> It's the piano buyer that needs education.  If any of my customers = suggest they might soon be looking for a piano replacement or if I suggest that = it is time they replace their piano, I often offer to help them in their decision so they don't hop out of the frying pan and into the fire. &nbs= p;This doesn't happen that often, and I have never set up a price structure to get reimbursed for the time it takes, although I wish I could.  Any= one have a way that works? </BLOCKQUOTE> Clyde, I will charge an hourly fee based on my tuning charge to check out used = pianos in homes, so how much it costs depends on how much inspection is requ= ired--usually based on age and condition of the instrument.   If they are regular clients of mine with an old beater who are looking f= or a "fresh replacement", I will usually suggest a few instruments that migh= t be a good fit for their family.  I normally don't feel it necessary t= o check the instrument out, especially if I trust the dealer and/or salesper= son.  I work primarily with customers looking for low to mid-range mode= ls for home use, which is what I assume you are doing as well.   I don't generally take money from stores for customer referrals.  I= prefer to look at the bigger picture:  client trust, long-term custome= r, good customer word-of mouth.  Taking money from both ends of a deal = strikes me as being slightly sleazy.    It comes down to a qu= estion of "who do you represent:"  dealer or client?   If it's a huge deal and I bring the customer in, work with them, and the= y buy, that's a different matter, but it hasn't happened yet.  If it do= es, I will accept my commission, but I will not ask the customer for a servi= ce fee. Probably more than you asked for, but that's my few shillings, for what = they're worth, Dave Stahl</HTML>