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Posted by ruthlp, 05-17-2005, 11:03 AM Pretty long post but please read. This is a review of Host Checkout based on experience since December 2004and I would like future customers of theirs to note their service ::: (ebay Id of theirs is hostcheckoutshop) Well I have been with them since about December, but only due to the difficulty of transferring all my sites away. I have been wanting to write a review for a while but never got round to it, but more things happening have made me decide to warn others. So, I decided to get a cheap reseller account at $14.95 a month because I had a few websites I wanted hosting in one place. Note this is an UNLIMITED account (which I would never buy now, but seemed good at the time). So, I have the account for a month which was OK then I started selling off accounts on eBay. Mostly was OK, however, AWstats was missing from most accounts, and NO stats were ever being updated. I wasn't too stressed about it, but wanted it fixed and emailed. They took days to reply (note all of their auctions say 24/7 support, and *freindly* support) and when they did said it was fixed.Nothing had changed. This kept going on with them saying it was fixed when it wasn't, so in the end they put me on a new server again. Great, the new server was alright with little downtime and everything working fine. But then suddenly I get an email saying they're moving servers again (just about a week or so after the last move). They didn't really explain why, but I went along with it. Changed me IPs and informed customers. But nothing worked. I got hold of their MSN support emails, which I have to say are available pretty much 24/7 (though not much use) and they acted as if I was stupid because I used the wrong IPs. they then gave me completely different IPs than the ones they had told me to change it to. I checked the new IP address and all the sites were OLD copies. I then told them could they transfer the current ones and they said the old server had already been sold. So, I lost a lot of data on the sites and lost lots of money from angry clients. Now, I thought this was bad enough, but then when I had problems with Front Page Extensions they were extremely rude. One of my sites needed it badly, and the Front Page extensions did not always work. So I went on MSN chat and they said "works fine for everyone else". So I said, OK but can you look at mine? Well the reply I got was that I messed it up myself. Its true I tried to install them, but only after they were already not working. Then in the end I had to refund someone else because they said they wouldn't fix it since nobody else had a problem with it. So, I thought I'd let it be, nobody else apart from the one I refunded needed the extensions that bad. Until, the email stopped working. Now when I asked them the "manager" was extremely rude, and passed me over to someone else as he said he wanted to swear at me. The other person then said they can't chnage the mail sending limit just for me, like when then fixed the front page they annoyed all their other clients. Except, they never did fix that problem in the first place. This is when I decided for particular I'mm leaving them, and started moving the sites away but some sites are still hosted there. There was some downtime yesterday, so I asked the "Manager" on live chat if it was being fixed he said yes, I said thanks. Then a few mins later I said approx how long have they been down. No reply for a while, so I asked another support supervisor, and they informed me that the manager had already told me and if I ask again my account would be terminated! I could not believe this, I know that this man really does dislike me, and no matter how polite I try to be he is just rude. They are on MSN all the time, but have frequently told me they've had to many people moaning about problems that weren't "real" problems ie. front page extensions. Now, this is the most unprofessional company I have ever come accross. Once the manager invited me into a group conversation with another support person, and was just telling them off with me watching, and swearing. They treat their customers appaulingly, I never once complained after they moved my sites and they were all deleted when they sold the old server. So now, I believe they need to be avoided. Check them out on eBay (http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayIS...me=STRK:ME:UFS)They have so many customers. I even left them positive feedback but added another comment once I realised what they are like. Check their feedback, they often use the excuse that "everyone else seems to think its ok" to avoid solving problems. Now, this is a review based on facts although I guess it has become personal. I avoided contacting support for months because I knew the "Manager" really dislikes me. Now I really hope this company starts treating people right or gets what they deserve. If you have been messed around by them or have anyt info, post it here. It'd be great to see. Thank You for reading all this! EDIT: I now have an account with Hosting Zoom so I can see what a professional, well run and well staffed hosting company is like. Their support is great, even if its a small problem and they are very friendly and the quickest I have ever known. Last edited by ruthlp; 05-17-2005 at 11:13 AM.
Posted by Aurelian, 05-17-2005, 11:13 AM I find it very lame. The company's owners are such kiddy people. I understand there might be "stupid newbies" (not referring to you) but you cant treat them this way. I know myself that im a newbi, but everytime i asked the support of the hosting im on they answered me. And trust me, as a newbie, i asked lame questions. I didnt even know (at start of my company) what is the difference between Nameservers and MX servers and so on.. os i kept chatting on live support and aksed all these questions. I really hope this company you had on your back gets what it deserves. I prefer myself having 10 clients, HAPPY ones, instead of 20 clients, and 5 or even 1 out of them to be unhappy.
Posted by ruthlp, 05-17-2005, 11:18 AM Yes, I prefer happy customers too. Which I guessis why I refunded people, but I myself got no compensation or apologies. What annoys me is every time I check them out on eBay they seem to have about 100 more buyers! I don't know how they manage it
Posted by DevilHawk, 09-27-2005, 09:17 AM I would like to offer my appologies for this managers behaviour. I am the owner of Hostcheckout.com and have just come accross this thread. This manager seriously damaged the companies reputation with his abrupt and rude approach to clients. All of which I only discovered when the damage had been done. The manager in question no longer works at Hostcheckout. We are discovering bad comments and links on forum sites in relation to this individual and the people he upset. We are trying to put this behind us and press on so whenever I see a link like this I always reply. I am now rebuilding the companies integrity and profile it will take time but the service we offer now is all based around keeping the customer Happy. Its funny how one bad apple can spoil the fruit basket. This is not what Hostcheckout is about we are committed to service and the customer. Far to much trust was placed in this manager and we realise the mistake we made. Once again I appologise on behalf of Hostcheckout.
Posted by Canucklehead, 09-27-2005, 09:57 AM I would think as the owner you would be in a position to assist those that were "inconvenienced" by your staff? Would be a phenomenal PR move at the very least to show your commitment to rebuilding your company's integrity and profile. Heck, it might stop the bad comments Just a thought....
Posted by Canucklehead, 09-27-2005, 09:57 AM Newbie - sorry about the multiple posts!
Posted by DevilHawk, 09-27-2005, 10:18 AM The problem is all these incidents are in the past now damage has beed done and the customers have left our service. If they were still clients I would assist in making amends. It is all often to late when i come accross these links. Its a shame this is not what we are about this manager had massive influence on the support staff and he got it all wrong. Now we have to pick up and try and amend. We are back on track and sales are going in the right direction so not all bad. You learn by mistakes and we have from this situation.
Posted by garjo, 09-28-2005, 01:14 AM I am also a member there and they are terrible... I have mailed them several times about outages and they say everything is fine. I was in the process of building a site for a client and the site went down seven times in one night. Nothing is wrong my @$$! Time to move on!
Posted by ruthlp, 09-28-2005, 01:31 PM Fair enough you're trying to apologise, but I tried to talk to you personally on MSN and you went saying you were busy and also never received any compensation or anything, but I am over it now!
Posted by garjo, 09-28-2005, 01:47 PM That's exactly why I will pass along the way they are to anyone who asks.
Posted by mphosting, 01-06-2006, 10:41 AM I was with hostcheckout since around June and yes they had some problems with the previous manager. But I stuck with them even with all the trouble that followed due to that managers ill-ways. Around the time Garjo is talking about they had server problems because someone decided to DDos the server as a revenge act against the way he was treated by the previous manager. The reason garjo was being told that the server was fine was because when he got the reply the attack had been dealt with but the problem kept recurring which led to the support team giving wrong details. The new support team couldnt be held accountable for this and I know they spent a long time working to combat the problem with a couple of them being available any time 24hrs a day. All these problems have since been cured and this host has been formidable since. The server Im on is never down and support are brilliant. Just thought I would state my view on this from a current client viewpoint.
Posted by firedrone, 01-06-2006, 11:00 AM lol they got google ads on theire site, not good idea, considering they are trying to sell their hosting packages and it advertises other peoples
Posted by cunning, 01-06-2006, 11:15 AM a host displaying Adsense codes seems to be a j/k to me.lol
Posted by mphosting, 01-06-2006, 05:13 PM Still beats not having a site. I decided to look at your site cause Im always looking for better deal / cost factor but it wasnt available. Shame that. All mouth and nothing to back it up with.
Posted by Shaw Networks, 01-06-2006, 05:27 PM This thread was buried and forgotten, why would you want to resurrect it?
Posted by mphosting, 01-06-2006, 05:49 PM They didnt. I did. I came across the thread and thought I would state my opinion on how their company has changed compared to what was being posted on this thread.
Posted by cunning, 01-07-2006, 01:02 PM May be he is trying to make it clear to the community here,
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