A word of caution to fellow webmasters: Online guarantees from your web hosting provider aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. I’ve been with IX Web Hosting for four years. When I signed up, one of the reasons I chose them was their “price-freeze guarantee.” They promised to never increase the renewal price as long as I maintained my hosting plan.
They reneged!
At my recent renewal, they increased the monthly rate. When I informed them that my monthly rate was lower due to my price-freeze guarantee, they said they discontinued that guarantee years ago. They would not honor their guarantee.
Specifically, the price-freeze guarantee said (my emphasis added in RED):
IX Web Hosting proudly offers its subscribers a “Price-Freeze Guarantee.” This guarantee allows subscriber to use IX Web Hosting’s services with full confidence and zero-risk. IX Web Hosting guarantees that it will never increase monthly fees for existing subscribers of any service plans. This guarantee is effective upon the start of a subscription. Immediately after the order-process is completed, a price-lock will be established on the subscription and the price cannot increase for the existing subscription with the existing service plan.
Subscriber is aware that IX Web Hosting may proactively change the specified rates and charges from time to time, with any new rate or changed pricing being exclusively effective for new subscribers or service plan changes. Subscriber is aware that rates and offers can change upon service plan modification or new account subscription and may or may not be available for purchase at any time in the future. However, existing subscriptions will establish a price-lock for their service plan upon sign-up and will not be affected by changed pricing or offers.
Is this guarantee legally binding? Probably not. So don’t believe those web hosting “guarantees” that get you to sign up. What you see is what you get on that day. Don’t let any other “promises” mislead you to think otherwise.
We all know those glossy images of support personnel, complete with headphone and mic just waiting to take our call, are gimmicks. Those aren’t the actual support personnel you’ll talk to. Nobody’s fooling anybody there. But, you should also consider that CEO with the heart-felt quotes about the best service and technology, and those personal guarantees.
He’s probably just another virtual marketing persona as well.