Overselling

[DanQ]

How many people feel that overselling is bad?

I for one feel that it is lying to customers?

[Dan]

How is it lying to customers?
If it's done right there is nothing for the customer to worry about.

[DanQ]

How is it lying to customers?
If it's done right there is nothing for the customer to worry about.

Done right then yes it is 'controlled' but offering 200GB+ per account isn't controlled and is bad to customers, it is lying to customers as the host is saying here's 200gb bandwidth but iv only got 100gb.

[Dan]

Done right then yes it is 'controlled' but offering 200GB+ per account isn't controlled and is bad to customers, it is lying to customers as the host is saying here's 200gb bandwidth but iv only got 100gb.

Ok I agree with that. But why make a poll about it when it's been covered on here so many times since before Christmas and caused more arguments than those caused in Iraq?

[JonnyH]

How is it lying to customers?
If it's done right there is nothing for the customer to worry about.
I voted yes because this is correct. If it's done correctly it's fine.

[DanQ]

Ok I agree with that. But why make a poll about it when it's been covered on here so many times since before Christmas and caused more arguments than those caused in Iraq?

Because I didn't use the search function. Sorry. But it is something I feel strongly about.

[JohnN]

it can work well for the customer, allowing some users to get more bang for their buck, on the other hand, as mentioned - done badly and the customer gets a crapppy service.

[frank007]

banks----------------overselling money
webhosting providers.-overselling webspace and bandwidth

[Kwek]

Overselling is just a marketing tatic and I have to say it works well. Customers tend to only use part of their allocated resources only so it won't really harm the customers. Unless he's running some sort of downloads' site.

I shall remain neutral in this argument. It can be right or wrong depending on how you look at it and I look at it in both ways so I can't really decide. However, it would be best not to oversell just in case the customers really decide to use up all his allocated resources. It is also lying to the customers for your own benefits.

oh, and if it's overselling by free hosts, they should think twice. Making ridiculous plans which they cannot provide... and those plans that they provide also increases the amount of ridiculous requests. So in terms of free hosting, I will vote no. This does happen in paid hosting too, but it is not as serious as free hosting right now.

[goblin77]

For me - overselling is always bad because it mleads to many problems.

[stonerocket]

I also voted yes, My reason`s if the server is managed correctly its fine, as in regards to overselling on a free hosting company its totally acceptable.

[traderonline]

99% of your customers will not utilize the total allocated bandwidth and space. overselling really helps us to expand.

[Richard]

There is two types of overselling.

1) A clients has 10GB bandwidth, and only uses 1GBish per month, you sell the extra 5GB to someone else from his quota.

2) You have an 80GB disk drive, and you offer 100GB accounts with 2TB bandwidth when you only have 1TB on your entire server.

1, is fine if done correctly, but I would never consider it, what if that client burns all 10GB in one day because he's a developer and has invented the next best thing? Your going to have to hope your other client does not use that 5GB you assigned him.

2, is just plain wrong, it's scamming to the third degree.

[SilverStone]

Hi,

if you're on FREE HOSTING...don't worry about overselling because it's FREE..:-)

[Jan]

If I get a hosting plan for 500MB space and 10GB bandwidth, the host had better let me use it. I don't need it all the time, but some months I will use close to 10GB bandwidth.

[DanQ]

2) You have an 80GB disk drive, and you offer 100GB accounts with 2TB bandwidth when you only have 1TB on your entire server.

2, is just plain wrong, it's scamming to the third degree.


Thats the kind of overselling im talking about, there are a number of hosts on this forum alone that oversell like this.

[iLucas]

I'd previously thought it was a bad idea, until I'd done some research. Do you realize that the average user will only use about 9% of their allocated space? Basically, the average user will purchase almost 10x more than they'll actually need.

Thus, overselling is a plus from a hosting point of view.

- Lucas

[Decker]

If you promise and sell you have to provide by law.
If you can't your commiting fraud, simple.

[Clayton]

I'm against it, I think its misleading to customers :/

[XeonGX]

how is hostgator

they oversell
i asked the support team.
they said they are overselling.
and i will be able to use all my account unless i use more than %25 of the CPU for more than 90sec

and they said if a server fills up, they simply move to the next one


how is that?

[Volt.Networks]

Before I did my research, I used to think overselling was wrong and a bad idea. But now, I'll have to say its ok, if done correctly. As long as the customer is still allowed to use up what they were promised, no harm is done, so its a win-win. But if the customer do not get what they were promised, then that's just plain wrong.

[Smurfwicked]

If you promise and sell you have to provide by law.
If you can't your commiting fraud, simple.

Not only that, but overselling is the reason why its so hard to find a decent host... I know its dog eat dog for the providers but still I think overselling might work well at first, but eventually its going to come back and bite you. People ask for much more than they intially need simply because want room to grow, and thats what website do, they all start to grow and your shared servers all turn to crap. When I was shopping for a host I would advoid host offering large ammounts of space because I know that was overselling. I guess its all up to you how your run your business, but I think the tatics of the overnighters seem to be rubbing off what could be the better host.

[Decker]

It's been said many times before that overselling is okay if you can back it up, as in if you sell more than you have but so long as you have the means to add when required to fulfill the sold amounts.
People do tend to ask for more than they need or will ever use in most instances, but it's not a good idea to go on that as a reason to oversell.

[Darknight]

overselling (when done correctly)
is a plus becuse it allows all hosts to get better prices
Yes the avg user will buy 90% more than they need
Its not wrong so long as you do it correctly
I dont see myself as having enough experence to try to be honest
Mabye one day when I have a few more servers and room to play with Ill give it ago
never be offering massive amounts tho
200GB HDD is just stupid....

What are you going to do when you have sold al you bandwidth and HDD but are using under 50%??
Id rather add another 20% clients too it and keep watch rather than see it go to waste...

[Gipo_dinamia]

I guess overselling is bad especially if it's uncontrolled.

[James]

Overselling is a problem, but having enough clients to actually oversell your server resources is a even bigger problem for most hosts :D

[Jan]

Yes the avg user will buy 90% more than they need
If that's the way all the oversellers think, then no wonder so many disappear without a trace ;) Maybe a slight trace with being bad mouthed in forums all over the place :p

[Darknight]

If that's the way all the oversellers think, then no wonder so many disappear without a trace ;) Maybe a slight trace with being bad mouthed in forums all over the place :p



its been proven most people only use 9% of everything they have,
mabye you should do some more research :P

but cheap hosting is not really the way to go
Theres enough of them....
Places like this seem to get alot of requests for crazy hosting deals!

[AMC]

yeah, you want quality, and i think what Decker says carries some weight, because whether the client is using 9% or 90% of their space, they must at all times be able to utilise the product for which they have payed for in good faith, it is the responsibility of the host to manage this of course, and if a host is big enough, then overselling to a degree may be possible, (by adding more servers to a rack, as and when it is needed) but otherwise, there is a serious legal issue with it:)