Disclaimer: The content has undergone modifications for grammatical corrections and to update inactive links, utilizing Archive.org where feasible. Videos no longer available from original sources have been substituted with alternatives or indicated as missing, and any instances where replacements couldn’t be found are clearly noted. For reference to the original article as it was, https://web.archive.org/web/20230930130451/https://hosting-reviews-exposed.com/unlimited-hosting/hostgator-bad-web-host-read-honest-hostgator-review.html
We now come to Hostgator number 5 on the top 25 and #5 of 10,293. with webhostingstuff.com. The only host whose top 25 ranking matches its popularity ranking. Also, Hostgator is the only company with a single-digit ranking in traffic popularity on webhostingstuff.com. It does not seem that in the last 2 years, HostGator has been able to get past number 5 in the rankings despite their growing popularity claims. You would think they could at least beat Arvand. Perhaps hostgator paid in advance for their “advertising” on webhostingstuff.com for that 5th spot. I would suggest contacting webhostingstuff.com to get a push-up on those rankings; perhaps HostGator can get in a bidding war with iPage for that number 1 spot… sorry I meant advertising Webhostingstuff.com does not “sell” rankings *eye roll*. Did I forget to mention the mysterious disappearing negative fee back?
Hostgator has no problem listing awards from websites that are nothing more than elaborate or not-so-elaborate affiliates.
http://www.hostgator.com/reviews.shtml *Only an ERROR 404 page in June 2010 was recorded on Archive.org*
Only a few offer an award that doesn’t have an affiliate link or, better yet, a coupon. Webhostingstuff.com is on the list.
Though one of the affiliates……….. I mean, award sites do not have all good reviews:
http://www.reviewshut.com/web-hosting/hostgator.html *Updated with Archive.org link*
I am unsure of the point of these “awards” when most sites don’t have any visible advertising other than coupons and affiliate links. Clearly, they have to pay for their hosting somehow, and is anyone going to write tons of content for nothing? After all, will you bad-mouth an organization that will pay you $50 – $125 per sign-up, or will you sing their praises? This is nothing more than a list of reviews for profit, not an unbiased setup like Consumer Reports.
Hostgator Affiliate Program(s)
So far, I see that Hostgator.com has two commission programs. One at Commission Junction and their own.
Through Commission Junction, you get a flat $100 fee per sign-up
At Hostgator.com directly
- 1-5 a month, $50 per sign up
- 6-10 a month, $75 per sign up
- 11-20 a month, $100 per sign up
- 21+ a month, $125 per sign up
It appears that, unlike other companies I have reviewed, this is on any term, monthly or higher terms.
Depending on your marketing skills, you’re better off with Commission Junction if you are not that great. If you’re really good, you’re better off with Hostgator.com.
But the big payouts are the reason why they are growing so fast. Just like the other 4 hosts I reviewed, they have a large payout that encourages their affiliates to flood the search engines with tons of crap. You can see this when you do a search on “host gator sucks”, real complaints are hidden in between the “I have your coupon” sites and other affiliates.
Hostgartor.com likes to brag about numbers, which makes people believe they are legitimate operations. This is why I got so many comments on my video from people who need a lesson on ethics: having money does not mean you need to cheat. Their large numbers are based on a high payout. I would love to know the amount of cancellations versus the number of new orders. The amount of refunds. How about operating costs? Numbers that I don’t see. Their company may be growing, but they are going to suffer losses. Another number I would like to see is the number of affiliate payouts. What they are paying Commission Junction, after all, is that the affiliate gets $100 per sign-up, and Commission Junction is not a free operation.
Then there is this link: http://www.googlelady.com/1281/exhostgator-employee/*Updated with Archive.org link*
I am not sure how valid the information is, but there are several points that ring true, such as the affiliate program. But anyone can look that up. Its not like the person she is supposedly interviewing is not disgruntled or, for that matter, real. However, having worked at Wal-Mart during my college years, I know that those benefits that drew me in were not immediately available and had many catches. Two examples were their health insurance and college tuition programs. They claimed I had to be a full-time employee (it did not matter; I was working 40 hours a week for 18 months). But on the flip side, I have been with good employers that had dirt thrown at them that were lies, such as one company where I only had to wait 30 days for my health insurance to kick in. But I have to wonder if HostGator employee pages http://www.hostgator.com/benefits.shtml *link dead, no Archive.org link* is nothing more than veneer. After all, they have to make sacrifices somewhere to make sure that their affiliates drive those big numbers and drown out the negative feedback.
Unlimited Hostgator.com plan, you must use this much space in order to apply
http://blog.hostgator.com/2008/10/20/all-you-can-eat-hosting/*Updated with Archive.org link*
I am not sure how many customers read the cartoon and saw the irony in Hostgator talking about the wonders of overselling and unlimited space. But a thick guy who is not slim enough to eat at an all-you-can-eat buffet next to what is a mock “you must be this tall” roll coaster ride sign, indicating you must be this thin to enter. Subliminal truth?
The Hostgator.com Traceroute
Tracing route to hostgator.com [67.18.54.28]…
hop rtt rtt rtt ip address fully qualified domain name1 1 1 1 70.84.211.97 61.d3.5446.static.theplanet.com
2 90 1 1 70.87.254.5 po101.dsr02.dllstx5.theplanet.com
3 0 0 0 70.85.127.109 po52.dsr02.dllstx3.theplanet.com
4 9 1 1 70.87.253.122 te1-3.dsr02.dllstx2.theplanet.com
5 1 0 0 70.87.254.94 te1-2.car09.dllstx2.theplanet.com
6 1 1 0 67.18.54.28 gator.hostgator.com
Even though HostGator has its own building, it does not appear to have its own server center, and like the first three companies I reviewed, they are also using theplanet.com.
Final thoughts on whether anyone should buy from Hostgator.com.
Even though Hostgator.com is only in the 5th position, they probably should be in the top position at webhostingstuff.com. Granted, I consider the top 25 hosts a list for the top 25 to avoid because their main concern is raking in money, not investing in infrastructure that advances their services. Developing “unlimited” / “overselling” is not investing in infrastructure but concentrating on the misinformed worldwide consumer who may not understand that you get what you pay for. Bernie Madoff did the same thing with over-optimistic promises of high returns on investments. Anyone who offers a higher than 100% commission on a first payment is more interested in bringing customers in than keeping them.
*Dead Video*
This is my own personal rant against hostgator.com
Hostgator.com has been a good host for me in many ways, and I am not saying it because I hosted with them. I say that because I would get a lot of their dissatisfied customers. Customers who thought before HostGator that my prices were too high only turned around and realized that being cheap on your source of income was not all that smart. For that matter, I think at the time, I loved hostgator.com, at least until I saw this post back in February 2009:
http://blog.hostgator.com/2009/02/06/bad-economy-good-for-hostgator/ *Updated with Archive.org link*
It was as if Hostgator was telling everyone in the United States we have jobs, but you ignored us. They’re a big host, but it does not mean everyone is going to know who they are. So, in the search for jobs, they are not at the top of your list. Better yet, not everyone is going to have the skills to deal with computers and customer service. My grandfather was a soft-spoken person, awesome at fixing cars and generally anything mechanical. He would not have the first idea of how to use a computer. I could not imagine him trying to handle customer service on the phone, as he is not very loud.
Somehow, the 10% employment was a result of people being lazy. It had nothing to do with the mismanagement of companies, the deregulation to prevent those companies from being corrupt, or did it? Apparently Brent has never had to go door to door with a resume. What job that you might be able to get barely pays the bills, so you have to get a second job, and still, it’s not enough. The jobs you have skills for won’t hire you because you have no experience (in my case) or are too old (my grandfather’s case). The first job I had to settle for did not even involve a resume but an application. I am sorry, Brent, but you need to walk in the shoes of the people who are getting welfare before complaining about handouts. I encountered these problems when I was in school, and my scholarship, which only covered so many of my expenses, had to be supplemented. The effort to find a secondary source of income was killing my grades. Yes there are deadbeats, and even those that milk the system to get a nice paycheck from the government. But it’s not everyone.
But this is coming from someone pretending to be a bum for a day:
*Hostgator removed the video, and this is the only copy I can find*
Oh, look, I see my video to the side when you go to YouTube to view his video 🙂
