Setup fee or not - geek/talk: Signature-free discourse for serious web publishers

RamAir Productions · 01-25-2001, 01:50 PM

What do you guys prefer? No setup fee, or 2 $ less per month but 25$ setup fee? Do you signup for an hosting when it's cheap comparing to the features even if there's a little setup fee? I ask you these questions because, well i personally don't mind but want to know what the *majority* do and think.

JDF000 · 01-25-2001, 03:39 PM

I've always thought that setup fees were a complete crock, and I refuse to pay them. Most everything with webhosts is automated so I can't imagine it takes longer than 5-10 min. to setup an account. It's practically an insult to be charged for something that is almost completely automated ( if not completely automated ), IMO.

Justin

RamAir Productions · 01-25-2001, 04:28 PM

Well, it's not completely automated, but kind of. Let's say i have a 15$ plan (i am not completely sure the prices my plans will be yet), then with a 25$ setup fee, the plan would be 13$ monthly rather than 15$. But i don't want people choose not to signup because of the setup fee, so i ask before heh. So, having a 25$ setup fee and lowering the monthly payment for 2$, a good idea?

Tyme · 01-25-2001, 04:46 PM

I personally have a problem with setup fees because most times you do not get the fee back if you decide to leave (if they have a 30 day money back guarantee). I got jipped on that once, and I refuse to sign up with a company that have one, over let's say $9.95.

Most people also know that the signup process is automated now. Some are instant setups...so what "work" are you doing that is worth $12.00 for 10 minutes?

If it is messing up your bottom line that much, you would be better off working it into your monthly fee.

Just my two cents. http://geekvillage.com/ubb/smile.gif

------------------
Tyme
SoftwareTyme

Doc · 01-25-2001, 06:51 PM

Personally, when searching for a host, I usually use a search function at one of the various help sites. I don't even bother with hosts that charge a setup fee, and if possible check a box that excludes them from the results.

However, people new to the net don't realize just how many hosting options there are out there (just like they don't realize that they probably won't need 50 gb of bandwidth http://geekvillage.com/ubb/smile.gif ) So if you're targeting them, you could pick up some extra income with the fee. It's your call!

------------------
ProfitsToGo.com - Insightful reviews of top webmaster programs.

demae · 01-25-2001, 09:10 PM

With the sheer number of webhosting companies out there, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a lot of them that still perform setups manually.

It's not a trivial thing to get a program to automatically check the credit card authorization, then decide which one of the hosting company's servers is going to host the new site, then contact that server and have it /sbin/useradd, mkdir /home/newuser/www, find an unused IP address for the site (if it gets one), edit httpd.conf, edit named.conf, reload the webserver/nameserver, etc.

All of this requires careful programming to setup, or has to be bought. I imagine some basement operation webhosts can't do either.

RamAir Productions · 01-26-2001, 02:06 PM

Thanks all for replying. I guess i won't put setup fee. Anyway, a 5-10 min setup never hurted anyone http://geekvillage.com/ubb/wink.gif

01-25-2001, 01:50 PM	#1
RamAir Productions Registered User Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 52	Setup fee or not What do you guys prefer? No setup fee, or 2 $ less per month but 25$ setup fee? Do you signup for an hosting when it's cheap comparing to the features even if there's a little setup fee? I ask you these questions because, well i personally don't mind but want to know what the majority do and think.

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01-25-2001, 03:39 PM	#2
JDF000 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 20	I've always thought that setup fees were a complete crock, and I refuse to pay them. Most everything with webhosts is automated so I can't imagine it takes longer than 5-10 min. to setup an account. It's practically an insult to be charged for something that is almost completely automated ( if not completely automated ), IMO. Justin

01-25-2001, 04:28 PM	#3
RamAir Productions Registered User Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 52	Well, it's not completely automated, but kind of. Let's say i have a 15$ plan (i am not completely sure the prices my plans will be yet), then with a 25$ setup fee, the plan would be 13$ monthly rather than 15$. But i don't want people choose not to signup because of the setup fee, so i ask before heh. So, having a 25$ setup fee and lowering the monthly payment for 2$, a good idea?

01-25-2001, 04:46 PM	#4
Tyme Registered User Join Date: Jul 2000 Posts: 433	I personally have a problem with setup fees because most times you do not get the fee back if you decide to leave (if they have a 30 day money back guarantee). I got jipped on that once, and I refuse to sign up with a company that have one, over let's say $9.95. Most people also know that the signup process is automated now. Some are instant setups...so what "work" are you doing that is worth $12.00 for 10 minutes? If it is messing up your bottom line that much, you would be better off working it into your monthly fee. Just my two cents. http://geekvillage.com/ubb/smile.gif ------------------ Tyme SoftwareTyme

01-25-2001, 06:51 PM	#5
Doc Registered User Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: The Lonestar State Posts: 233	Personally, when searching for a host, I usually use a search function at one of the various help sites. I don't even bother with hosts that charge a setup fee, and if possible check a box that excludes them from the results. However, people new to the net don't realize just how many hosting options there are out there (just like they don't realize that they probably won't need 50 gb of bandwidth http://geekvillage.com/ubb/smile.gif ) So if you're targeting them, you could pick up some extra income with the fee. It's your call! ------------------ ProfitsToGo.com - Insightful reviews of top webmaster programs.

01-25-2001, 09:10 PM	#6
demae Registered User Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,291	With the sheer number of webhosting companies out there, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a lot of them that still perform setups manually. It's not a trivial thing to get a program to automatically check the credit card authorization, then decide which one of the hosting company's servers is going to host the new site, then contact that server and have it /sbin/useradd, mkdir /home/newuser/www, find an unused IP address for the site (if it gets one), edit httpd.conf, edit named.conf, reload the webserver/nameserver, etc. All of this requires careful programming to setup, or has to be bought. I imagine some basement operation webhosts can't do either.

01-26-2001, 02:06 PM	#7
RamAir Productions Registered User Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 52	Thanks all for replying. I guess i won't put setup fee. Anyway, a 5-10 min setup never hurted anyone http://geekvillage.com/ubb/wink.gif