Siteground.com – Will they surprise bill you?
Jan 07
Siteground.com is my third host review of 4 hosts for November 2010 webhostingstuff.com’s top 25. To be honest on the surface there is not a lot that I can tell you. This has been a bit of a stumbling block and the reason I have not posted in a while, as this was a host that was not going to take my usual 2 hours of research. It may very well be a site that deserves to be in a top list. But I have to ask why are they on webhostingstuff.com? I could go on about their affiliate program, but it seems a fair program. The design seems bulky. Not to mention I really hate the little pop up window the terms of service are in.
So what is wrong with Siteground.com?
Even though siteground.com links to a site that has no negative reviews about them, they are out there.
http://www.besthostsdirectory.com/siteground-reviews.htm
One complaint I see is in regards to reoccurring billing. In the hosting industry this is not exactly uncommon. But the problem I find is where they are billing 15 days in advance of the due date. Then there is their latest special where they offer 5 free gifts. The problem is they are only free for a certain amount of time, and not all of them are for a year. Its unclear that after the free period is up that you may get billed for those services, and if so what terms will you be billed for Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-Annual, or longer?
http://www.web-hosting-top.com/web-hosting/web-hosting-top.siteground.com/type/add-review
For that matter you can find alot of anti-Siteground sites under a search of Siteground sucks.
Siteground.com / Besthostdirectory.com connection?
It should be no surprise that I look at the whois for any domain some how linked to a domain I am reviewing.
Here is what I get when I do a whois on besthostdirectory.com
Registrant: Contactprivacy.com 96 Mowat Ave Toronto, ON M6K 3M1 CA Domain name: BESTHOSTSDIRECTORY.COM
No surprise there. I tend to think that if your a company that you should not get domain privacy and that should be for indivduals only. You might say on one hand that this is good they have Siteground.com on the number 1 spot, and if you look at there network info they are indeed hosted with Siteground.com.
So what about their previous history? When I look at the wayback machine guess which host is number 1 every time:
http://web.archive.org/web/*/besthostsdirectory.com
Siteground is number 1 and LunarPages is number 2 in every snap shot.
Ever hear of the company called featuredpricehosting? This was a hosting company that ran there own top 10, they ended up getting busted over this. Granted I don’t know the full story but its on my to do list. But I suspect that Siteground.com is the owner of besthostdirectory.com. Even if they do not own it, it oddly has no negative reviews about siteground.com.
What about the free Siteground.com stuff I told you about earlier?
Being its now January 7th I find it odd that there still using Santa, but then again when I ran 4 hosting companies I had a New Years graphic up.
Now what is not clear is when you will be billed and how much for.
Standard SSL Certificate
This is the only thing that I can say with some certainty that this will be billed under no less then annual terms. However I can tell you that you can get SSL certficates for as low as $20. I can only assume it costs them $10, which is why they offer it for free the first year. Just as I can believe that it only costs them $5 for a domain. So if you do choose to go with Siteground.com for a ssl use it for the first year, but go else where to get a cheaper one after you exhausted your free time.
Spam and Email Virus Protection
At $5.50 a month that is $33.00 for 6 months, despite having 6 free months that only costs $24.
Website Wizard
If it was billed monthly it would be $3.50
Premium Support
There is no clear mention of how much more time you would have to wait if you did not pay $5.95 a month for priority support.
Daily Backup
I don’t what the maximum is of back up, this after all is a unlimited package.
Trying to go back to the main page of Siteground.com I get this popup window:
I figure the best thing to do to get my questions answered is to get on their chat support to find out what they bill for.
The SiteGround.com chat session
Martin: Hello Benjamin
Martin: Welcome to SiteGround.com Hosting Services!
Benjamin: Hello Martin,
Benjamin: I am interested in your current offering
Benjamin: I see that the “gifts” are only free for a certain time and I would like to know if they are subject to auto billing?
Martin: Glad to hear about your interest, allow me a quick moment please
Benjamin: sure
Martin: I will now transfer you to a specialist in the field of current promotion and he will be happy to help you further
Benjamin: Thank you
This chat session has been transfered to Levan [sales]
Levan: Hello Benjamin
Benjamin: Hello Levan
Levan: The “gifts” are indeed for a certain pre defined period.
Levan: Sort of a trial for the extra services
Levan: And yes, as any other service we offer they would also be renewed automatically, if of course you do not choose to cancel them first.
Levan: Of course you will get quite a lot of notification before that, to make sure you remember.
Benjamin: Can you tell me when they would be rebill and for how much and under what terms (i.e. monthly, quarterly, semi-annual…….)
Benjamin: I suspect the ssl is once a year
Levan: which one would be interested in, or all of them?
Benjamin: all of them
Levan: Fair enough.
Levan: The SSL is indeed on a yearly basis
Levan: $82 per year.
Levan: Premium Support is $71.40/yr
Levan: Daily Backups are $71.40/yr
Levan: Spam Killer is $42/yr
Levan: Website wizard $42.00/year
Benjamin: This is not pro-rated to match the account?
Levan: If you could elaborate, please.
Benjamin: Example I buy today
Benjamin: 2 months from now you bill me for the back up
Benjamin: but only at 10 months
Benjamin: so that I am billed the same time as my hosting package
Levan: No the services would be rewed at different times, when the trial for the specific service has lapsed.
Benjamin: ok
Benjamin: do you offer a 30 day guarantee?
Levan: Yes, indeed a 30 day refund policy does come with the package.
Benjamin: In regards to the free domain, is that for the life of the account?
Levan: Yes, as long as you are hosted with us
Levan: the domain name will remain free
Benjamin: ok
Benjamin: how much would it cost to retain the domain if I decide not to keep my hosting account?
Levan: the standard domain registration fee with us is $14.95
Benjamin: cool
Benjamin: ok one last question
Levan: So that would be the it , yup
Levan: As many as you need.
Benjamin: its in regards to the premium support
Levan: ok
Benjamin: what is the difference in the premium and non-premium support
Levan: There are 2 main differences, one would be the average response time
Levan: Standard is around 15
Levan: Premium lowers it to 5 min
Levan: the second one is the ease with which you can post general issues.
Levan: Let me elaborate.
Levan: Basically the normal ticketing system is divided into categories.
Levan: So you need to navigate to the category at hand, and post the issue there, and it goes to the specialist in the field.
Levan: Example
Levan: Domain problems
Levan: Into the domain/DNS category
Levan: With premium you get a direct drop down meny
Levan: With a quick option post the matter immediately.
Levan: So it makes it a little harded for us
Levan: But easier for you.
Levan: That’s about it.
Levan: Of course with the trial
Levan: You get to experience that first hand.
Levan: Given that you do not have many requests
Levan: As mostly service runs smoothly.
Levan: No actual need for premium to be honest.
Benjamin: too many requests?
Levan: Simply for more dynamic users, in need of constant info
Levan: It’s better to go for premium
Levan: kind of beginner vs experienced user
Benjamin: Ok I think that will do it for me I will chew on this for the next hour and then decide if I will sign up. Thanks for the info.
Levan: Most welcome, glad I could assist you.
Benjamin: Have a good day
Levan: And if you need anything else , just come by. We are here at all times.
Levan: Thank you, have a great one as well!
In sum what this siteground.com chat boils down to:
Over 6 months if you choose all 5 so called “freebies” you will be billed $262.20 with 4 billings over the coarse of 6 months. After the first year you will be billed $344.20 4 times over the coarse of 6 months. The sales operative told me that they send notices to remind you before you are billed
Also the support service seems a bit wonk, after all why should someone that does not pay for premium service not get this pull down menu support?
Either way if you choose Siteground you better be prepared to watch your email for what may be a surprise bill.
How can delete my account or how can i cancel the “Spam Killer + Email Virus Protection” auto renual from the siteground webhost. Or is there any way to cancel hosting at siteground.
need help
Hello Shashi,
I will contact Siteground.com to get them to respond to your post. I would also suggest contacting them.
Regards,
Benjamin
Here is what they told me on their chat session
Dessy: Hello Benjamin
Dessy: Welcome to SiteGround.com Hosting Services!
Benjamin: Hello Dessy,
Dessy: May I ask if you already have an account with us, please
Benjamin: I run the site hosting-reviews-exposed.com
Benjamin: one of your customers is asking me how to cancel services
Benjamin: I have directed them to your company
Benjamin: but you can also answer their inquiry at http://hosting-reviews-exposed.com/webhostingstuff-com/siteground.html
Dessy: Could you allow me just a moment please
Benjamin: sure
Benjamin: You can either give instruction here or post them on the blog post.
Dessy: I believe you refer to the question of how they can cancel any of the services, am I correct
Benjamin: here is their response
Benjamin: How can delete my account or how can i cancel the “Spam Killer + Email Virus Protection” auto renual from the siteground webhost. Or is there any way to cancel hosting at siteground.
need help
Dessy: Any of our services can be canceled at any time from the User Area -> Billing Section -> Billing Cancellation
Dessy: Then the cancellation request needs to be confirmed from an email sent to the administrative email for the account
Benjamin: That sounds a bit cumbersome. They should just be able to cancel from the customer interface.
Dessy: Yes, that is correct. The billing section is in the customer interface, Benjamin
Benjamin: but they have to confirm through a email as well
Benjamin: the Email should only act as a comfirmation
Dessy: Yes, that is just for their convenience. It is really often for customer to accidentally cancel their accounts or services that they do not want to cancel. That is why we have implemented that extra step
Dessy: It is just a simple confirmation
Benjamin: Well I will be sure to pass this on to your customer, you or the heads of your company are allowed to comment.
Same thing here, I was charged extra 72 dollars 2 months after I registered at siteground, for the so called daily backup service which I wasn’t informed of. They just drew the money from my card, didn’t send me any email about it.
And gosh, how hard it is to cancel a domain there.
Good Post this happened to me. They also took money out of my credit card on an account i had cancelled. What worse is that i had taken teh credit card deatils off my account (to try and stop the surprise billing). That was a long day on their impossible support section
Great review and totally accurate. I’ve been with siteground for about six years and had the same issues with them trying to charge my card without my permission. Their “support” system is designed to be difficult. They usually do address an issue once you get through. They tried to strong arm me a few months ago saying I was getting way too many emails and they would have to cancel my account if I didn’t purchase their monthly spam killer service. I just ignored their threats and they stopped bothering me. They finally realized after a few years they couldn’t squeeze any more money out of me so they leave me alone now. I should add that overall they are a good hosting company, but tend to be too aggressive in signing up new customers in the desire that they will cancel their accounts after a few months. This business model is rather suspect and hinges on the balancing act of server load versus usage.
Hello Smoky,
Thanks for your review. Are you still a customer? If so what is your website? Granted even if your not I still like to look at people’s websites as it was something did as a former hosting company owner.
Regards,
Benjamin
Yes, I’m still a customer. I run a small oscommerce/php shop and overall l’m happy but like I said, they gave me a hard time and tried to push products on me for the first few years. Siteground does let you choose what php version you want to run. They couldn’t install a ssl certificate I bought once so I had to use theirs. Sorry, I see no logical reason to give out my website address.
I totally agree with all the responses above.
- they lure ppl in with a cheap first year (10 dollars) and the second year they’ll charge you 107 dollars.
- the control panel is designed to be confusing about the prices
- cancelling the account is very well hidden and you have to talk to martin in a chatsession just to do it.
For now I’ll be staying with GoDaddy who have a better deal which Siteground couldn’t match (36 months hosting for 36×3 dollars)
I swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth…
See our conversation.
Hello!
yesterday we have got your offer with 30% discount for 3 year host, we have accepted this proposal and have pay for 3 year 250 usd. it means approximately 7usd\mo
now we see on your site – proposal for 3 years – $3.95/mo and we don’t understand your proposal to us. please, I want to get from you correct explanation
stavros: hi
stavros: Hello!
my-mayakovski.com
yesterday we have got your offer with 30% discount for 3 year host, we have accepted this proposal and have pay for 3 year 250 usd. it means approximately 7usd\mo
now we see on your site – proposal for 3 years – $3.95/mo and we don’t understand your proposal to us. plea
Anna: How are you today, Stavros?
stavros: Hello!
my-mayakovski.com
yesterday we have got your offer with 30% discount for 3 year host, we have accepted this proposal and have pay for 3 year 250 usd. it means approximately 7usd\mo
now we see on your site – proposal for 3 years – $3.95/mo and we don’t understand your proposal to us. plea
stavros: please, I want to get from you correct explanation
Anna: Allow me just a moment, please
stavros: ok
Anna: I do understand what you mean, but I would like to note that the Christmas promotion is for signing up new accounts only
Anna: The regular price for renew is $107.40
Anna: We gave you 30% discount and as a bonus we added 30$ in your Wallet that you can use for any future servisec
Anna: services I mean
Anna: you would like to
Anna: which is actually pretty good deal
Anna: for a renewal
Anna: Also I would like to inform you that anyone is more than welcome to sign up new account
Anna: and take an advantage of the promotion
stavros: it is uot of logic – new castomer will pay just 144USD and for same old one 250
Anna: Stavros, this is not suppose to offend you, as I explained the promotional price is not only for new accounts, but also for the bilking cycle the customer will choose only upon signing up
Anna: The renew for all those accounts will be charged $107.40
Anna: when the billing cycle is over
Anna: And this is per year
Anna: Allow me just a moment
Anna: I would like to consult with my maneger
Anna: may be he will think of an exception
Anna: for you
stavros: tell me – if i as a new castomer will buy new host will I pay 144usd for 3 years?
Anna: Yes you can
Anna: you can still do
Anna: As I said everyone is more than welcome to sign up for new accounts
Anna: Allow me just a couple minutes
Anna: I will directly transfer you to my manager
stavros: ok! clouse my carrent host. it will finished after 2 mo/ retern me my money and i will think about
Anna: as he is authorized to do more than I can:)
stavros: ok
stavros: but i do not agree with you now
Anna: My manager is available now
stavros: ok
Anna: Would you like me to transfer you to him?
stavros: yes
This chat session has been transfered to Dimitar [sales]
Dimitar: Hello Stavros
Dimitar: Glad to have you over the live chat
Dimitar: I see your conversation so far
Dimitar: How are you doing today?
stavros: so i do not agree with your politic – new castomer pay 144usa for 3 year host and we 6 years ol 250
Dimitar: Usually it is considered a custom to start the conversation with Hello
Dimitar: Now as for your statement:
Dimitar: yesterday we have got your offer with 30% discount for 3 year host, we have accepted this proposal and have pay for 3 year 250 usd.
Dimitar: It means that Yesterday you have accepted this offer
Dimitar: You have already said that
Dimitar: And you have agreed to the term
Dimitar: And you have submitted the renewal
Dimitar: Renewal payments are not refundable
Dimitar: As I am sure you are aware
Dimitar: Furthermore
Dimitar: Chargebacks are made only in cases of fraudulent payments
Dimitar: Which obviously is not the case here
Dimitar: Since You have agreed to the terms
Dimitar: Yesterday
Dimitar: That is that
Dimitar: Now as for your tone
Dimitar: Please bear in mind that this is a business conversation and I will not tolerate a tone like that
Dimitar: All that being said
Dimitar: We are all grown people here
Dimitar: We understand that you feel misleaded
Dimitar: Even though you were not
Dimitar: New customers get lower prices as their websites have just stated
Dimitar: And they do not generate a lot of traffic
Dimitar: Usually the first 3-6 months they spent in development only
Dimitar: Also, in regards to your renewal
Dimitar: You have received $ 30 as a bonus in your online wallet
Dimitar: That you can use to get a new account as well
Dimitar: Now I have the power to double that bonus
Dimitar: And make it $ 60
Dimitar: If you simply say that this will please you and if I think that you are eligible for such an exception
Dimitar: Would that be a suitable solution for you?
Dimitar: Are you still with me Stavros?
stavros: first of all – Hello! you are right in this point. second – i don’t ceare how you calculate my tone. also i don’t ceare about money. but i do not like when somebody this way keep from me money. so from formally point you are right – and i see it. i don need you 60usd. but you loose 1 customer asi am
Dimitar: Fine, as you wish sir
Hello Stavros,
Sorry for the delay it was a rather rough month for me last month.
While I can not agree with you in regards to your thinking on getting a discount for hosting, I simply find this chat session abusive to you. I will be contacting Siteground.com on your behalf to see what the heck the deal is here. While your behavior was not formal, it was no where near as offensive as Dimiitar.
Regards,
Benjamin
Hello Benjamin and Stavros,
First of all, I would like to say that the attitude of Dimitar in the chat pasted above is completely unacceptable, and does not comply with SiteGround quality standards. The SiteGround Sales Manager has attended to the case on the same day the chat took place as part of our internal quality check procedure, and Dimitar has received a serious official warning and a penalty according to the internal procedures. I would like to assure you that SiteGround will not tolerate such a behavior towards any of its customers.
As for the case discussed, the promotions we have for new customers are really different from the promotions we apply to existing customers and there is a good reason for this. The perceived risk is a substantial part of a consumer behavior. When someone needs to choose a new provider without having personal experience with its quality, the perceived risk is bigger than when someone decides to renew a service, whose quality he has seen personally. So to alleviate this bigger risk we offer bigger discounts for new customers sign ups. What we state with this is: we believe that our service value is higher, but we understand that you may want to see for yourself if this is true and we are willing to invest some free service in convincing you what the true value is.
Apart from the chat above, I believe that Stavros should have been satisfied with the service he has received so far, as he has renewed his account for 3 years twice so far. I can also see that he initially accepted our renewal price as fair for the service he has received. I also understand his wonder when he than realized that one and the same service costs more for existing customers than for new ones, but I believe that if everything was explained to him calmly and respectfully he would have understood the reasoning behind this pricing policies.
Reneta Tzankova
COO SiteGround.com
Hello Reneta,
Thank you for your attention in this matter. I happy to see that you will not tolerate hostility from your staff.
As a former hosting provider I can understand your position on discounts.
Regards,
Benjamin
Siteground is the worst company I had dealt with.
they don’t have any live and friendly support.
every time they changed something in the server, our website got screwed up somehow, and they have no clue.
they just try to suck your money.
best thing to do with them is have nothing to do with them, stay away!
Hello furious2012,
I understand your frustration and I would like to research your case in detail in order to be able to address your accusations. Could you please send me your domain name at news at siteground dot com? I will check your case and try to assist you.
Best Regards,
Marina Yordanova
http://www.SiteGround.com