I have just looked at Aluminum HostGator's package - 24gb of disk space at $24.95. How can I organize package to resell hosting at competitive prices? What packages it is better to create for my clients. How much disk space and what price should I specify to earn something under such conditions?

You buy reseller hosting, and advertise online. Raise your price per gigabyte high enough so that it is greater than what you pay per gigabyte at your current host (HoostGator for example). Then just sell it to as many people as you can. If you run out of space, get an upgrade, and so on. It's a great way to jump start your business, while paying the minimum monthly.

I have only one recomendation: do not start with something huge or somathing kike that. Start with small package and apgrade that as far as you are growing.

Originally Posted by ~ServerPoint~

I have only one recomendation: do not start with something huge or somathing kike that. Start with small package and apgrade that as far as you are growing.

Completely agree. Huge packages may become a burden for you and you might sustain losses. Also I would recommend you not to start with large companies: sometimes there appear unexpected problems with service, I do not mean bad quality, but getting lost in large amount of other clients...

You might get a reseller package from average-sized company, like, say, Ahosting.biz, or rellerzoom, which has narrow specialization!

Good luck!

You also need to focus more on the kind of bandwidth you get with the pack as its in most cases more important than the GB value. I used to own a hosting site, and I feel I should point out that in order to make money from the general public (as opposed to companies you've made a site for, for example) you do need to put a LOT of work in before you're earnings are substantial. In fact I ended up selling the hosting site (which got to PR6 and 1st page of Google for some pretty good search terms) as it wasn't earning nearly as much money as things such as blogs, forums and information sites that I was running, and took far more effort.

I'm not trying to put you off of doing it, I'm just saying that you need to be committed to it

First off are you sure you can sell 24 GB space? Don't buy a large amount because you think you have to. You can always upgrade later when you need it. Also, I would go to more hosting companies and just see what they are offering. I wouldn't suggest taking there plans and offers but, since you are just starting out its a great way to educated yourself. Good Luck

Side Note:
Okay, this is off topic of the post but I just need to say something. I went to about about 10 new posts that interested me and everyone had viktor spaming crap about his web hosting solutions. Thats lame!

I agree that you shouldn't start with huge. And my input here: the successful start for your web hosting business it is finding good web hosting company. I think that you'd better not leave without attention companies like Hostgator.com, MMhosting.com or lunarpages.com

im writing a script for my website project. iv been asking friends and family for advice. mt friends were mentioning different format which my website can operate on. windows or linux format. iv never heard of linux before.

so i need your advice please.

which is the best format for an e commerce website?

which one is easier to maintain?

or if you can give me website addresses in both of the formats so i can have look at would be most apreciated.

Here's the wikipedia links for Linux Enterprise Server and Windows Server 2003.

I personally think that Linux is the best option as there are a lot more open source scripts for php than there are for asp/asp.net - I know php can be run on Windows but considering it usually costs more than Linux I don't see the point in it. Also in regards to Windows... well it's Microsoft.... Nuff said.

--Stream

Linux is better for sure but it requries to have admin for that. And as I said reseller web hosting is the best way to start with.

This offer from HostGator.com seems all right for me. You may start with them but I'd recommend not to stop only on their services. Other companies provides much better offers - Say A2hosting.com offers disk space 25 GB for $19.95 per month for their resellers.

As with any other business venture, it's important to create USPs (unique selling points). As you can see from this thread and many others like it here, there are a huge number of providers and resellers already in the industry and you have to ask yourself why a customer might host with you compared to any number of others.

Service quality and price are probably the ones you have in your head right now, but let me ask you this: how do you (as a customer, right now) know what the service quality is like from any of the hosting providers you might be considering before you make your purchase?

As for price, can a reseller afford lower prices than 1&1 / GoDaddy? Who has the lower overheads per customer... the reseller (who pays their provider, who are also making a profit from that of course) or the provider who "just" has the overheads of their datacentre/hardware without anyone in the middle taking an additional cut?

Ok - loaded questions. However, my point is that you shouldn't expect these to be enough: even assuming that you can compete on both of the points above, and become recognised for that. You need to look to value added features to really sell your service.

Another related point to consider is what is your niche? What part of the market are you hoping to sell to - who will be your typical customer? This helps you think about what additional features might be important, and how you might go about marketing yourself.

I would try to provide my own recommendations

The very First. Study the market. to know what are the demand and offer.
The Second. Create a site draft. from where people would get a hosting.
The Third. Learn something about several companies that provide reselling.
Fourth. Buy a reseller package which is suit you well, pay in advance for longer time if possible.
5th. Make your draft site real.
6. Start promotion. Actually it might be started even before you begin the business, but only if you are sure in the terms. The ways of promotion are already described.
7. Earn money and expand.


Well, hope that helps///


PS.

Some good companies to strt from: MMhosting.com, Webhostgiant.com Resellerzoom.com.

Buy a reseller package which is suit you well, pay in advance for longer time if possible.

How would paying in advance benefit the user at all? What if the web hosting company turns out to be bogus, and you just invested 2 years worth of hosting in them?

I would go with the safe, monthly payments. If something gets screwy, you move your stuff somewhere else.

I start with a small plan (25 USD/month) that can host up to 200 sites. The moment I'll go over this, I'll invest some more, but also earn quite a bit. Never was too interested in hosting, since my services go more on web design/content creation, but it's a good side "business" and I get some more residual income

Originally Posted by andrei155

How would paying in advance benefit the user at all? What if the web hosting company turns out to be bogus, and you just invested 2 years worth of hosting in them?

I would go with the safe, monthly payments. If something gets screwy, you move your stuff somewhere else.

Surely your notice is correct, but the statement you critisize is not pointless as well. If it comes alone - yes, but there preceded some other rated statements which, if followed, may help to avoid scams and find a reliable host. Than, yearly payments save some money, while monthly - don't.

Also, some companies, gazzin.com and many others, provide free trials of their services which are also helpful.

Howbiet, it is better once to see (or try) and have bad experience than to be eternally adviced and have none...IMO

I'm not talking about scams, but rather just a really bad hosting company. One that's not going to help you with your problems, has constant downtime, and very low speed's at times. What are you going to do with such a host when you've invested 2 years worth of hosting in them?

Maybe these things won't be recognized in the first 30 days by you? Maybe you won't be liable for the money-back guarantee anymore? In this case, paying monthly would sure cut losses.

Starting point will be counting the budget that allow you to select a particular package of reseller hosting.

It is advisable do not start with the very huge package, start with a small or medium reseller hosting package. Use it for some time, along the way, you will know the web hosting server consumptions that you needed.

Choose a web hosting company that allow you to upgrade the capacity of your reseller hosting when you needed.


Cheers!

I think that the company. The main one is very important. And you will need to invest in the advertising. But better have that as additional service say to the web development ones etc. Hostgator.com is right choice, but do not try to think that they are alone. glowhost.com or siteground.com are on the same range by quality.

Fourth. Buy a reseller package which is suit you well, pay in advance for longer time if possible.

I'm not talking about scams, but rather just a really bad hosting company. One that's not going to help you with your problems, has constant downtime, and very low speed's at times. What are you going to do with such a host when you've invested 2 years worth of hosting in them?

I suppose there is a sence in combining these statements into one the most helpful, where it is adviced to buy one month package or have a trial, if availiable, and then if everything is ok get a longer term package....

But still I think paying every month is better because you may have found a better offer and it would be no problem with migration...

I wonder, if you pay monthly, is the moneyback working every month you get a package, or just during the first month?