I have about $200 to spend and wanted to start a hosting company like a resller plan. I would even consider a free hosting company...maybe. I heard there was good money in it, but dont know where to strat. Can some one point me in the right direction or give me some pointers.
Try to find here - http://www.senpai-it.com/ I guess that senpai-it is a reseller of http://www.hetzner.de/rootserver_en.html
You want to start a hosting buisness with 200 Dollars? well you can only get reseller account. I provide hosting services in Korea. I have my own dedicated servers. PM me if you are interested. but in Korea we do not usually give cpanel.
Sign up as an affiliate at godaddy.com for free or get a reseller account at hostgator.com for $25 a month to get started.
Get a ReSeller account through Host Gator. They can help you set it up, and provide phone support. They also provide cPanel, nominal cost as well.
Virtual private servers are better if you dont like to go with hosting reseller account, its better first you start with hosting reseller account and then change it to vps then to dedicated as your customer grows, dont advertise your site in adwords still you dont have a good customer base. Go to some forums, and post your offer. I think this is better than using google adwords for a newbie.
Be prepared to spend a lot of time in the forums looking for clients. Might want to opt for at least a VPS as it establishes more credibility. $200 would be tough to start with though...
There is indeed good money in the Hosting Business. $200 is not enough if you want a dedicated server (its enough for 1-3 months) You could start with a small reseller which lets you upgrade just by paying the difference. We at LaceHost are one of the best-known companies on DP & provide cheap reseller plans. We hav over 170 satisfied clients from Digitalpoint forums. Let me know if you would like a reseller with us. Thanks Ishan
Dont go with free hosting, if you want to be serious with your future customers. I would advice you review articles in resellerguide.com. It's very helpful site. And I believe it will bring you a clearer view.
OK, what about the logistics; finding customers and that kind ofthing? Should I build websites and sell them on ebay and make it a requirment they host the site with me?
Selling goods on ebay is good, but selling host on eBay is not a good idea. I dont know if many people choosing host from eBay. I have heard bad things for some hosting deals from there actually
Yep, get a reseller account and start working. Check out www.webhostingtalk.com for reseller hosting reviews.
If you go with a reseller account, be prepared to have a good quality one and make sure you go for the higher end clients. I'd personally go with a quality VPS with CPanl/WHM and then fill it with quality customers. It easier to make good money with fewer clients paying more per month.
I would not go with vps or dedicated server, if I dont have any experience in server management. Or I will need to pay more for server admin.
Have a look at my signature. You may not need $200 for getting a reseller hosting account alone. Oh and yes, they do offer good service.