The Consequences of Down Time from Being on an Oversold Web Host
Imagine owning a small, downtown business that made most of its sales from around twelve to three in the afternoon. Now imagine what would happen if you decided to close this business down during those peak hours each day. As you can imagine, you'd probably lose a great deal of money and your clients would be less likely to come back to visit your store again. Unfortunately, this is what often happens when your site is being hosted by a web host that is subject to overselling.
Overselling is a serious problem in the online industry. This issue occurs when a service provider sells more online space or services than they are capable of properly managing. When this happens, your site may not function properly or will not be available at all times. This often happens during peak business hours or at times when your site is the busiest – at the moment when you most need your site to function properly.
This can cause you to lose a great deal of money, not just once, but in the long run as customers who find your site inaccessible are likely to go on to a quicker, more efficient and better managed site. By allowing yourself to fall victim to overselling, you are basically sending clients in the direction of your online competition. This can be particularly dangerous if you are a small, local, or start up company.
The only way to avoid this problem is to go with a service provider that does not oversell domain space. Of course, it can be a bit tricky to determine which service providers are the most likely to do this, but this article will provide a few tips for recognizing a poor service provider and for choosing a reliable one.
First of all, you will need to do your research before you ever enter into any kind of agreement with a provider. If you're not already signed up with a hosting service, you will want to compile a list of providers you are thinking of using. Then, get to work researching these providers. Read online customer reviews of the provider and take into account both the negative and the positive aspects. If you already have a provider, check your own website frequently throughout the day. Be sure to check as a normal user and not as an administrator or any other person related to the maintenance of the site. If it is always available to you, you likely are not a victim of overselling. If, however, your site does not function properly or does not load at all, especially during certain times of the day, then you have a problem and will need to get out of the hosting agreement as quickly as possible.
As a final word of caution, always be aware of sites that offer "unlimited" anything. In the internet world, there is no such thing as unlimited. These providers are, in fact, the most likely to oversell their services. Instead, look for hosts that provide you with "Overselling Guarantees," or other warranties or assurances that will protect you against this unfair practice.
