Hosting service options and extras
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Free domain name registration
Some hosting providers do offer one or more domain names registration "for free". This is one trick to attract more customers, while keeping slightly higher price comparing to the other hosting providers. Actually the "free domain" names offered are included in the hosting plan fee. Very often, they are not available unless you prepay for one or two years. Be careful, check in advance what would be the "penalty" fee if you want to move to different hosting provider and to keep the current domain name registered as "free domain".
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Search engine advertising credit
Hosting providers offer an amount between $25 and $50 credit for one of Google, Overture, Yahoo or MSN advertising programs. However, this feature could not compensate bad customer service or poor performance. Hence, be careful and don't consider this as high priority criteria when selecting your hosting provider.
Payment
Be careful for the following:
- Hosting provider who offer $6 on his entry page, but when you read his offer details, it appears that you have to prepay for two years to get $6 monthly fee, while when you pay month by month the price will be $10/mo for example.
- Setup fee - some hosting providers may require setup fee if you prepay for less than 6 months.
- Free domains - the free domains announced at the entry page and at the top of the offer are available only if you prepay your hosting plan for a period of one year and you could find this information at the bottom of the offer.
- Check if the price offered is end price /total price/ including VAT and/or other taxes.
- With new hosting provider it might be wise to pay month by month at least in the beginning, until you get an impression about the quality and reliability of the hosting services provided.
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