Resellers:

A wise choice?

If you have been visiting various hosting companies, the odds are you have found some resellers. Resellers are businesses that do not own their own servers and/or high-speed lines; instead they resell the services of another larger company.

When you purchase a package from a reseller your web site will be stored on the true host's equipment and served via their high-speed lines. The reseller that you purchased the package from will be the one that interacts with the true host for you (often times never telling you that they are a reseller). You will make your payments to the reseller, you will receive your technical support from the reseller, and the reseller will be there to act as your host in all areas.

There are good and bad sides to purchasing your web space from resellers. As long as you have made yourself aware of what to look for, and what to avoid, you should not have any problem whatsoever by going with a reseller. In fact, there are many cases where choosing a reseller can save you money and offer you more in services!

The majority of resellers hide the fact that they are reselling. The only way to know for sure if the host you are with, or considering, is to seek out this information for yourself. The best way to find out if a business is a reseller is to ask them. There is a high probability that the reseller, if asked directly, will admit to you that they are in fact resellers and tell you for whom they resell for.

It is very helpful to know whom the business is reselling for. Once you have that information you can then compare the features and prices of the true host to the services being offered by the reseller. You may want to include: In your opinion, what is the main reason I should choose you over the host you are reselling for?, when you ask. This will allow the reseller to explain some extra services that they offer which may not be listed on their web site. Since the reseller should already be more informed about the true host they are reselling services for, they will also be able to give you some extra ideas in regards to what you will compare between the two.

While looking at the true host's services, try to take a look at what they offer their resellers. This will give you an idea if the reseller is marketing what they are able to actually offer and give you an idea about the types of payments the reseller is making to the host (read on to see why this is so important). Other ways to find out if a hosting business is a reseller is to run trace routes, domain lookups, and to visit various hosting forums to ask others who are well versed in the area.

On the down side, if a reseller fails to make their payments to the true host, regardless whether or not you have made your payment to the reseller, you risk your site being shut down by the true host. Due to the fact that resellers do not have to invest the same amount as a true host would into their business, a reseller can go out of business much faster and easier than a true host can. Because of the way many hosts allow their resellers to 'set up shop' it can be simple for a reseller to use a false name, have no business license, collect funds from those that purchase their services, and then simply disappear, leaving you out in the cold.

Note: Any business can do this. Wise shopping will help you to not fall into these types of traps. Always verify the information you are given before sending anyone your own information and certainly before sending anyone money!

On the good side, a reseller may be able to include web site design and various types of Internet training with their services. This enables you to receive everything needed for your Internet presence through one point of contact. Resellers are also familiar with the true host's configurations, abilities, and points of contact. This means they are, many times, able to offer you more support and assistance with your account. The majority of resellers service less accounts than a true host services. This allows them more time to offer you higher quality and more personal support than a true host is able to offer. Additionally, resellers often times have the ability to receive a large discount from the true hosts since they are purchasing more from the host then a single domain owner would be. This allows the reseller the option of actually offering you a higher quality of service for a lower price then the true host is offering!

Follow the same rules that apply for all types of host shopping, keep in mind that there are more resellers on the Internet than true hosts, ask the right questions, and do your homework. Regardless whether or not your web site ends up hosted by a true host or a reseller you will be able to assure your web site is with the right company and being served, as it needs to be.