Hi all,

Just got a few questions for those with UK based businesses/websites selling resold hosting on US servers.

a) Have you had a hard time convincing people in the UK to host their sites with you (and therefore the US)?

b) Do you make it clear on your site that the servers are in the US? (It'd be a bit naughty not to wouldn't it?)

c) Realistically, is there a huge difference in speed or anything else?

d) Have you had any trouble with buyers who didn't know then found out after buying and made a fuss?

Thanks,
MusicMan :)

The same questions apply to any company selling web hosting outside US, while having their servers in US centers.
Privenet is located in Greece. Saying to our customers the true, that your servers are located in USA is good - since you are also saying that is better, faster etc. On the other hand the competition having their servers locally are saying that is not faster and that if anyone from Greece visiting your US hosted web site it goes to US and back to Greece to see your web page. Although we are talking for miliseconds, this "virtual route" they are describing is bad for us when the user is a novice. The "routing locally is better" phrase is the local competitor hosters' excuse.
In real world, having your servers in US in much better at the moment than anywhere else in Europe. On top of that, is much cheaper and no taxes to pay.

I have some clients in Spain and others in Latin America, always telling them that the hosting infrastructure is located in the US.

The target audience for some of these sites is mainly US (tourist sites about Latin American countries), which makes it even more appropriate to have the hosting there.

On the other hand, the speed difference, if any, is unnoticeable at all.

The only problem I got, is that Control Panels are in English mostly.

I assume that backbone infrastructure will be more efficient in US than elsewhere, and it is only good to market the service that way.

It is an assumption, but if anyone here has other experiences, I will be greatful to read about it.

I have both UK and US servers

a) Have you had a hard time convincing people in the UK to host their sites with you (and therefore the US)?

I don't make a huge play of mentioning it - once i have both hosting sites up i will make the choice clear

b) Do you make it clear on your site that the servers are in the US? (It'd be a bit naughty not to wouldn't it?)

Nope - but tell the truth when asked

c) Realistically, is there a huge difference in speed or anything else?

Only in milliseconds...still ever so slightly noticeable....I am in Telehouse mind you for my UK sites :)

d) Have you had any trouble with buyers who didn't know, then found out after buying and made a fuss?

Nope - not as yet ;)

Thanks for the replies everyone :)

privenet is right and the same question does apply to anyone selling US hosting abroad. I ask the question because I remember when I was hosting my first few sites I was much more inclined to UK hosting (although I don't really know why!).

Still in the magazines (aimed at those hosting their first site(s)) I read that it is better to get hosting closer to your website audience and wondered whether this has had an effect on those selling hosting abroad.

Thanks again,
MusicMan :)