Which package would you recommend?

I have been looking strongly at Hostgator. I presently am using two other hosting sites. One I have been with for a while, but only offers one domain name per account. The other I recently joined and have two sites in a shared domain. They talked a good game but when I started asking about the features they promised, they quit answering my emails.

I have a couple of my own web sites and design, build and manage web sites for a few others. I want to build sites and host the sites for my clients. These are simple, static sites, not complex at all.

I am not comfortable enough to offer reselling if I have to provide support. Is that a big issue with you resellers?

What package would you suggest for me? I'm already paying about $20.00/mo.

[LandonCowling]

I would suggest the Swamp Plan for now

http://www.hostgator.com/shared.shtml

How about you resellers, is tech support a big issue for you and your customers. In other words if you have a customer with a question you can't handle, how well does HG respond?

[amartins]

Hi

Overall I would say 7.5/10, simpler issues get responded to promptly but anything a little more complex takes its time, I dont use support chat and a little surf around the forum will tell you why.

Frankly as someone who sells sites + hosting for people who don't really know much about using the internet (and don't care to) HG is a pretty good deal.

So I my opinion you have to analyze the kind of customers you plan on bringing on board, if theyre the kind that just like to put in their URL or press a button and send and retreive their email then reselling is a sweet deal, mostly I only deal with my customers when the account is set up and then once and again when mail issues crop up.

Sometimes people are too much trouble to have as customers so I just set up a package for them to be hosted directly, pay and bill them leaving the headaches and support directly at the host :-)

HTH

Antonio.

if support is an issue, this isnt the place for you.

[LandonCowling]

Simple issues will be answered in seconds, others may take an hour or two. Host Gator is great. Highly suggested!

[amartins]

Seconds? Not to piss on your point but... credit where credit is due but lets not overdo it.

Complicated issues take long to resolve at whatever host 1 or 2 hours is nothing when they go up on the whiteboard you have to sit and wait... be it at Verio, Interland, EV1 or Alabanza... same thing.

I just fear that techs are spread a little thin when issues get escalated to the top level but it's a concious decision (to be here) and I am ready to live with that and I think most people who resell on this small scale can too.

For example I am waiting for an issue with interchange to be resolved since Monday. E-mail exchanges with primary level tech support were rapid but when those didn't sort things out you have to sit tight. I'm guessing things go by unnoticed until someone picks-up on them and reports them to techsup. the issues are then worked out to the benefit of everyone on that particular server as well as others which may have the same issue.

Just like life it's a learning experience for all of us and frankly if that didnt happen things would not get better. ;-)

Antonio

[Surf-Hut]

You may want to browse around the forums.
Here is a post which outlines a problem I have with HG reseller support:
http://forums.hostgator.com/showthread.php?t=2677
But there are several others that may be of interest.

That all being said, I haven't had much trouble with HG, but I don't resell very much either. Partly because I wasn't interested before, and now because of issues with support. It's difficult to find the right host who offers reselling, so you have to take the good with the bad, it's up to you which is more important services or support, it's easy when just want hosting for your site, but when your taking money to host others, well it gets dicey. I personally would rather not look like a fool, and let them give their money to someone else.

Your going to get varying opinions as far as support goes, probably more good than bad to HG's credit, but there a some very real reseller issues you should be aware of before you make the jump, and you won't read it all in the TOS and AUP. Just surf the forum and make up your own mind, you won't get a straight answer here one way or the other.

[Surf-Hut]

I read my post and it was kinda vague so here goes MY opinion in a nutshell:

1. Services/Performance/Uptime = GREAT!!
2. General Tech Support = GOOD, if you don't need an explanation
3. Reseller Support = POOR, see #2, hard to run a business or tell clients what's going on when you don't know what's going on yourself.

In conclusion, if you can live with that, which alot of people do, HG is a great place for you.

[esl]

I think the service is great along with the prices, but I think the support needs a little help. Even though HG support is the best I have seen in response time, it's chat support lacks in knowing about tech issues. Even though they have gotten better, I think there is still some room for improvments.

Service: 10/10
Price: 10/10
Email Support: 9/10
Live Support: 7.5/10

I would recommend Host Gator to anyone.

I have been very interested in becoming a reseller also. However, I have a question - If you are designing websites, etc. and you say you are hosting them, how are you doing this if you're not reseller?

The reason I'm asking this is because I'd like to set myself up in business within my local community. Most people do not have that much experience on the internet let alone having and maintaining their own web presence. I'd like to offer this service to them (of designing their websites) and I thought that the ONLY way to do this would be by becoming a reseller to be able to have more control with their sites. I am very technically-impaired , especially when it comes to PHP, Perl, etc. I'm a bit familiar with Java and the like, and HTML/XHTML, however, I've been on crash courses lately. After checking out some of the features and things involved with reseller accounts, I'm getting a bit scared....especially after reading about not getting good support as a reseller. I don't mind being the "help" person for a client, but only if I know I can count on HG for support in return.

I've completed a few websites for people already and they love them. But I'd like to be able to host them as well....I'd like to hear some thoughts from other people on this subject. If you are a reseller, how has your experience with HG been? I've really loved everything I've read so far, how difficult can it be? <gulp!>

[Jme574]

I am one of those people that, while i am able to get around the computer and internet well, i do not have that much knowledge in programming or design of sites.

I have an aluminum package resellers account here as well as a shared account with 2 other hosts. (this gives me the option to go to several sources for support) I feel that for the money you spend, you can't find better packages. Even though i have been able to get help from Host Gator on some of the smaller issue and they have worked out, I do not put all my eggs in one basket. I do use the forums of the other 2 hosts as well as the forums of phpbb, cpanel, whm, whmap and microsoft.

If you want or need help, and you don't mind looking you can find the support. Several of the people here at HG have been very helpful such as Stef, Brent, JZ and a few others(forgive me if i've missed your name) If it is money = package ratio you are looking for, you have found the right place. If it tech support you are worried about, you CAN find it. If it doesn't come from HG directly, there are others more than willing to help out or point you in the right direction.

While i have a resellers account, i don't really resell. I do have one customer account, that is why I take advantage of the offerings of a resellers account. Even if you are not ready at this moment to do any actual reselling, I would advise you to get a resellers account if you want to host multipule domains if they are other peoples content. Thus leaving the door open when/if you come to the point where you are ready to start charging for your hosting services.

[David]

I have 2 aluminum reseller accounts one, for me, and one for the company I contract with. While neither of us are "reselling" hosting at present, I have used support a few times, and have always gotten help. I would recommend email or phone for most support issues. There's also a pretty helpful base of users in the forum that can usually help as well. I agree about getting a reseller account if you can afford it. It's a very good learning experience for when you decide to actually resell hosting, without the headaches of client problems while you learn at your own pace.

David