During my initial review of iPage and Fatcow, I discovered their connection to Endurance International Group, sparked by their rankings on WebHostingStuff’s top 25 hosts. Interestingly, these two hosting services were ranked higher than HostGator, in second and fourth places, respectively. This prompted a deeper dive into WebHostingStuff’s ranking system, where, after evaluating 30 web hosts, it became clear that the rankings might not be entirely based on performance or customer satisfaction. The lack of a transparent ranking system and suspicions of under-the-table incentives were highlighted by the fact that a host previously ranked 25th had since gone out of business.
While many of the hosts on WHS’s top 25 were paying for the top spot, some were placed there due to affiliate programs. Sign-ups earning up to $100 or more. Most of the hosts owned by EIG have such a program.
How did Endurance International Group get my attention?
A chat session with iPage made me wonder how many companies this support operation had to handle. All because the chat operator had to ask me what URL I was referring to. I told the operator that it was the main page; a site only has one main/home page. The chat operator kept asking me for the main page until I gave them iPage.com. Having used chat programs with my hosting companies, I can tell you my techs knew what site, and for that matter, what page of the site a customer was on. Clearly, this is something that this group should be using as opposed to having customers tell a chat operator what site they are on.
My first impression was that it was just an outsourced support working with multiple hosting companies. But there was also this that one of the chat operators told me:
Bryan Smith: FatCow is the sister company of iPage.
The chat operator gave me more information than he/she should have. The support company was not well put together because they had to ask which website I was referring to. But by the time I reviewed Fatcow, I was looking at its BBB record. The search engine results brought me to:
It became clear that while it was not only outsourced, it was part of a company that buys out web hosting companies. They claim to have natural growth, but all the growth appears to be mostly acquisition. While looking at some hosts, it becomes clear that the buyouts don’t happen smoothly. One company out of all those bought out by Endurance International Group sticks out, and that is host4life. People liked that company before it was bought out, but the opinion is clearly in the negative now. I have to say that Endurance International Group has me curious. So, I am adding another part to my reviews: all the sites that appear under Endurance International Group.
Endurance International Group appears out of the picture with its acquisition.
I have a bottle of Tylenol on my desk; looking over the bottle, I can tell you what company Tylenol is a division of. Which is MCNEIL-PPC, inc. You go to tylenol.com, and you find MCNEIL-PPC, inc. When you go to iPage.com and FatCow.com, you can’t find a reference to Endurance International Group. I have gone through several of their sites, looked at the bottom of the main pages, and looked through various terms of services. Yet, not one site brings me any detail about being owned by Endurance International Group. I have read some sites indicating that they are the third largest hosting provider in the U.S., with around 700,000 customers. But nothing is open to telling the customers that their hosting company is a division of Endurance International Group. When I was looking at how Endurance International Group is a green company (more about that in another post). I found an order link. http://www.enduranceinternational.com/green/
I get the following page: http://www.enduranceinternational.com/endurance/hosting.bml?
They have a lot of companies to link to on their greenwashed sites. Greenwashing by means of buying energy credits.
Endurance International Group, where hosting customers are a reusable commodity
One thing sticks out to me on Endurance International Group’s website:
Access Millions of Potential Customers
Learn more about the vDeck Integration Program (VIP) which puts your product or service in front of a high-quality, targeted audience of small business owners looking for cutting-edge solutions.
Endurance International Group appears to be using its customers as an advertising base. Much like what AOL did with their service. This is my assumption, but based on this page: http://www.enduranceinternational.com/vip/
I will assume that products are placed inside a customer’s login area. Looking at several of the sites randomly, they cover their butts from the people they sell the advertising to.
http://www.fatcow.com/legal/legal_privacy.bml
http://www.ipage.com/legal/legal_privacy.bml
http://www.webhost4life.com/legal/legal_privacy.bml
http://www.apollohosting.com/legal/legal_privacy.bml
http://www.ehost.com/legal/legal_privacy.bml
http://www.freeyellow.com/legal/legal_privacy.bml
and the list goes on……. But every site I have looked at has the same privacy policy. The part that connects the hosting company to Endurance International Group is 5. Online Shopping.
Online Shopping. At some Web sites that you access through links on FatCow, you can purchase products and services or register to receive materials, such as a catalog or new product updates. In many cases, you may be asked to provide contact information, such as your name, address, e-mail address, phone number, and credit/debit card information. If you complete an order for a Web site or service that is not provided by FatCow, FatCow has no control over the third parties’ use of any personal information you provide when placing such an order. Please exercise care when doing so. If you order products directly from FatCow, we will use the personal information you provide only to process that order. We do not share this information with outside parties except to the extent necessary to complete that order.
In addition to hosting fees, Endurance International Group also makes money off its clients through advertising.
Here is the list of sites that I know of with Endurance International Group
I have heard rumors that they also own Justhost, but at this time, I have not found anything to confirm that.
Endurance International Group, a company with so much more to review
If you have a horror story, a success story, or information for me to look at with Endurance International Group, this is the place to post.
