Reseller question

[Bakedgoods]

I'm looking at maybe setting up a hosting company using a resller account, generally speaking, what sort of technical knowledge are you required to have to get this going?

I know reseller accounts come with all the framework for setting up and managing hosting/e-mail accounts and billing etc, but what about the rest?

Do you just need to create the design which links to this back-end code?

 

[Beansprout]

You get a browser-based control panel to setup and manage your accounts - very straightforward, no programming required. All you need to worry about is creating a website people will visit, and knowing how to use the control panel to reset people's passwords when they forget them

And of course choosing a reliable host with which to have your reseller account

 

[Bakedgoods]

Thanks

Will the signup code be created for you? By that I mean when the user selects a package from your website and selects purchase, is the code created pretty much from that point onwards? You just need to create the design and display information on the various packages etc?

The only bit I get concerned about really is when you start thinking about registering a company name, and tax and all that big nasty scary stuff, accountants etc

 

[Beansprout]

Will the signup code be created for you? By that I mean when the user selects a package from your website and selects purchase, is the code created pretty much from that point onwards? You just need to create the design and display information on the various packages etc?

Oh right - there's nothing like that. You'd be after some sort of billing system for that - I'd recommend www.whmcs.com - all you need to do is set that software up then give it your reseller account login details (eg Plesk reseller login, WHM login).

 

[Bakedgoods]

Oh right - there's nothing like that. You'd be after some sort of billing system for that - I'd recommend www.whmcs.com - all you need to do is set that software up then give it your reseller account login details (eg Plesk reseller login, WHM login).

I'm pretty positive i've been a few reseller accounts that handle the billing as well for you.

 

[Beansprout]

I'm pretty positive i've been a few reseller accounts that handle the billing as well for you.

They'd just include some software free of charge, although if you were looking to do Windows hosting I believe the Helm control panel includes some sort of billing management.

 

[huppy]

They'd just include some software free of charge, although if you were looking to do Windows hosting I believe the Helm control panel includes some sort of billing management.

I can confirm helm does have billing management - reminders and alerts etc to customers and yourself that payment is overdue.

 

[stoofa]

Remember however that any Technical Support questions are going to be sent to you.
Along with "How do I do this?" kind of questions.
If you don't know the answers to these then you in turn are going to need to ask the company you have bought your reseller account from.

From a Technical Support point of view you can be at the mercy of your ISP and no matter how much you explain that to your customers they won't be happy if there is any delay in getting the answers they want.

For that reason you should take some time and learn how the end-user control panel works so that you can answer the simple questions that some people will ask.

 

[WIZ]

Hi...newbie alert!

Its my first post on here, but have been using Cpanel 10 and 11 for a while now, but i manage 4 sites.

I was thinking the exact same thing about reselling..mainly because it may work out cheaper for me with 4 sites, and i could flog the remaining space.
But im by far no tech-head myself so i share the concerns written above.

I would think back to when i was a 'new' webmaster and remember the 'now' stupid Questions i used to ask my hosting company.

Good advice..get Cpanel, a demo would be fine..learn how to do the stuff that many ppl may ask you "how do i do..."

Tech support was the issue that has been bugging me. When i need help, i ask my host. If im the host..who do i ask?

Cheers and dont be too harsh..im new here