$20 Account Setup Fee

[reedfloren]

Unless you pay for 12+ months in advance it costs $20 just to set up an account with Micfo now... :mad:

I assume this gets a bunch of people to prepay for the service but it is rather irritating IMHO...

This might explain why I haven't made any affiliate sales this month... :(

[kangy]

Ya I noticed that the other day. I must have just made it before that change.

[Bill]

:( Awww fiddle sticks.

[KomsBomb]

$20 is almost the 'standard' fee for short plan in web host industry.
To enjoy more discount, you should buy the longer plan.

[Bill]

But Micfo isn't standard! Everyone knows that.
I stick by my statement of fiddle sticks.

[ThomasRau]

OK, Fiddle Sticks. But we all know that turnover is expensive and that they need to remain profitable. The way I look at it, anyone that refuses to join because of a setup fee (which is pretty much industry standard) is exactly the kind of customer that micfo doesn't need. Let them host at the 1.99 unlimited everything, here today, gone tomorrow host.

[Micfo]

The way I look at it, anyone that refuses to join because of a setup fee (which is pretty much industry standard) is exactly the kind of customer that micfo doesn't need.

Thomas, you couldn't say it better! To be perfect honest, the signups haven't even dropped by one, its interesting that it has been increased.

Few reasons are behind this decision which I'm not going to disclose, but here are some:

1. Customer signs up for a $9.95/month via an affiliate link (-$50 Micfo) and request cancellation on 27th day, then signs up for a trial account and cancel again. This is considered fraud which we determined it and terminated both affiliate and customer. Since after further investigation it came to our attention that the person was using two different family member's CC to make some money in *reasonable* way. We had many such occasion. This has been reduced by 67% by now.

2. Really newbie customers, without any html, coding, ftp knowledge signup and have the host responsible to teach every aspect of hosting. This would cost us lot of money (tickets, toll-free, staff etc.).

Hosting your account requires a certain level of knowledge in the use of Internet languages, protocols, and software. This level of knowledge varies depending on the anticipated use and desired content of Client's web space by the Client. We cannot teach everything from scratch. There are different part of company that we have to focus on rather than teaching technical related issues, in order to better serve our customers.

And the list goes on.

[Bill]

Hmm, well I guess it will cut back on spammers.

[Sue]

Maybe I'm a day late and a dollar short to this topic-but a setup fee for less than a yearly plan is pretty much the industry standard. It allows the hosting company a better margin of profit for "fly by" customers, and encourages commitment of at least a year to the hosting company you end up choosing.

As a recent "host-shopper", Setup fees have made me look more closely at the companies I was considering-because quite simply it's a matter of being willing to pay the fee, or being willing to make a "commitment" to the company's hosting for at least a year. This certainly has encouraged me to choose carefully-which is a good thing for me as a customer, and a good thing for the host as well; because an informed customer is likely to be a good customer.

Plus-bottom line-If a customer has been with you for a while, likes your service, and gets comfortable using your site and the "tools" that came with their plans-they are likely to keep using your service in the future, and recommend you to their friends and colleagues as well.

[Bill]

Well said Sue.

[bryan]

I just noticed the setup fee tonight...

I was thinking about setting up another site and I wanted it on a separate server, so I was gonna create a new account...but I really don't want to pay an extra $20, so I guess I'll just shove it on my current plan. :(

[ThomasRau]

You could always purchase the 1 year plan (setup waived)

[bryan]

Don't have the money to pay for one year up front and though the service is wonderful here, I don't want to be locked into anything.

[tong]

setup fee $20 can't race with the other hosting..in the same class.

Today, hosting is cheaper and better especially VPS.

How many % that you got the spammer/cheater/scammer ?
compare with the new customers you will get ?


The good way is log all domains and customer name to prevent they cheat your billing.