Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Web Hosting : detailhosting.com questionable practices on quotes - overprice and under-featured

[darksidehalo]

I submitted a request for hosting quotes in the Shared and Reseller Hosting Requests Forum.

webhostingtalk(dot)com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=206314#post1610430

DetailHost of detailhosting(dot)com responded with a quote that matched my requirements for minimum disk space and bandwidth and maximum monthly price:

500MB disk space
10GB Data Transfer
Cpanel (Latest Build)
$14.95 a month
...
20 POP accounts (IMAP included)
3 domains, 10 subdomains

However, their offer doesn't compare very will with the standard pricing they offer on their site. For the same price, I could get the following in their Gold Account at detailhosting(dot)com/price.html:

$14.95 /mo
750 Mb
20GB
Unlimited POP3 accounts
Unlimited subdomains

Did they think I wouldn't go to their website?

[LP-Trel]

That does sound fishy.

Good luck picking the provider best for you!

[developer]

Keep in mind that space and BW is just one part of the costs, other are support, staff etc.

But yeah, same price for that is strange.

[darksidehalo]

Originally posted by developer
Keep in mind that space and BW is just one part of the costs, other are support, staff etc.

But yeah, same price for that is strange.

The deal didn't mention anything about extra or special support; if it did, that would be extra unusual and non-standard.

Besides, it's the same company: same staff. And it wasn't just BW; it was also disk space, domains, email accounts...

[stephen@web]

This is customized plan, we have added two addtional domains for our silver plan thats why we put the price as 14.95.

I hope this will help you.

[peersignal]

I smell a fish.....

Regards,
Mark

[CoolinHL]

DetailHost's explanation works for me...

Increase number of addon domains, decrease other stuff and keep the price the same.

[DaZ]

Fair enough

[ScottBannon]

I think if DetailHost's adding other additionals, like add-on domains and etc., it's an honest deal.

We often get requests from clients on our smaller sized accounts for extra databases, or additional add-on or parked domains. Our normal policy is to do so, but with a rise in the monthly price of half way between their current cost and the next larger plan we offer.

That's just my input, it may not compute
Scott

[darksidehalo]

Originally posted by bannonsc
I think if DetailHost's adding other additionals, like add-on domains and etc., it's an honest deal.

Here are the relevent portions of their aforementioned Silver plan, as listed on their services page:

$9.99/mo
500Mb disk space
15GB bandwidth
Unlimited POP3 Accounts
1 Additional Domain
Unlimited Subdomains

So they did add two additional domains. And took off 5GB transfer per month. And they limited my POP accounts... and my subdomains.
And it costs $5.00 more per month... hey, wait a minute...

Perhaps DetailHosting is totally legit. Maybe I would receive the "unlimited" features on email accounts and subdomains; they may have just been parroting my requirements to meet them exactly...

At the very least, everyone should learn the following lesson: take nothing at face value. Check the quotes you receive—from any host—against the standard plans on that host's site. If features mysteriously disappear or appear (I'm still not sure how POP3 email can "include" IMAP ), be sure to get a specific answer from the host.

And for all you hosters offering quotes, please quote exactly what your plan will offer. If you say "20 of thus-and-such", I'm going to assume you mean exactly that, no more or less, regardless of what the comperable, standard plan offers.

As you see in cases like this, being specific is very important, lest we cause more confusion and distrust than the plan's actually worth.

[ScottBannon]

As you see in cases like this, being specific is very important, lest we cause more confusion and distrust than the plan's actually worth.

Well said!

[akashik]

Additional domains cost additional transfer. Knowing they might be incurring a 'heavy use' account it's understandable they might trim back that transfer to keep the account within their cost guidelines.

As far as I'm concerned it was a wise choice in offering a product they can support - given also the extra support requirements a multi-domain account will involve.

Often people seem to assume everyone has infinite transfer available (at least here at WHT), and huge disk drives.

Rest assured there are more than a few web hosts that pay a large premium for their transfer and hardware, having decided not to go down the route of 'no-brand' servers and providers.

Right now you have two choices... go for a provider who thinks long and hard before offering a 'deal' or go some some young pup you'll give you everything you need and more with no thought of how it'll impact on their business, and their current customers.