Hello,

I'm thinking about offering a free web hosting plan with each web design sale (whether a template, custom work, ...) with some specs. Is that a good idea? If it's not, please tell me why.

If it's a good one,
how can i set this package so that it doesn't break down my server?
how can i limit this package? (e.g. valid for X months/days/etc. from purchase)
would this hosting package be dependable? If a template worth $100 you get plan A, If a custom work worth $1000 you get plan Z.

I'm just sharing my ideas since I'm registering a new business, would you mind sharing with me yours? :)

Hmm its hard to say really. What we do is:

Charge X for design job and offer free hosting for X months (depends on the job). After the months are over we offer them a small discounted rate off our standard pricing. This is all done by hand (well control panel for that matter). Nothing is automatic.

- Eddy

Thanks Eddy. I was still wondering If there's a control panel out that can suit something like this.... :eek:

I've had no compliants with charging for both hosting and design. Customer wants a website, Based on the needs of the site we develop, and the wants of the customer, we pick a plan that suits their needs, and they pay for the hosting as well as design.

Of course, they always pay yearly for the hosting, so they get the 1month discount, but thats the only price break they get.

I thought it'd be included as a special offer, or an extra free package. We don't intend to charge for hosting, because we are not sysadmins. And we always know hosting isn't our perfect field. Therefore, offering a paid hosting will cost us administration fees and we may not focus well on design. This is why I just want to add it as an extra package...Just like any free addon.

What do you think?

I'm getting papers in front of me now and getting confused with choosing server specs to suit this.

Also looking for a control panel or an order wized for such thing. :)

Well with CPanel and Direct Admin you can setup the account and such . But for billing thats done via paypal, 2 checkout or any other popular way of gettinging money from your customers.

- Eddy

Yes I know about these parts already. What about the client management part? Don't I need something like ModernBill to do so? As I will need to know who's hosted, and who's to be terminated and such.

Do you want to make the hosting as your business or just an add-on package? There are different approaches if you wanted to make a hosting business as an add-on package or as a different business.

I want to make it as an addon service to my design package. Not my MAIN business. :)