iPower Web - Hosting Recommendation REVOKED

IPower Web has been removed from my list of recommended vendors.

For years their web hosting and site template services were top quality for a low price.  Unfortunately, in recent weeks their service has deteriorated substantially.  I've received emails from many of you complaining about major problems with their systems and poor customer support.  And personally my team has been very frustrated by the company's complete lack of support for customers using the Site Builder software that I discussed and recommended in my book.

Unfortunately neither their public relations people nor their CEO have responded to emails (I wanted to give them a chance to explain) so I'm now officially withdrawing my endorsement of their services.

Perhaps they are victims of their own success.  IPW's long-standing offer of $7.95/month for hosting, site building tools, and a domain name was a good deal.  That deal got even better starting in December when they lowered the monthly price to just $4.95/month as part of a "winter sale".  Too good to be true apparently - and too bad.

If you are looking for traditional, no frills, web hosting, IPW may still be a good choice.  But if you are seeking the easy-to-use web site builder tools outlined (including screen shots) in Internet Riches, I no longer recommend that you use iPowerWeb.

My New Recommendations for Web Hosting Solutions:

We've been testing Type Pad as a new hosting solution.  We've found that not only is the platform great for blogging, it's also a generally good hosting solution overall.  Their basic service is only $4.95/month and you can set up multiple sites/blogs under the $14.95/month account.  A good deal from an up and coming company. 

A more complete web hosting solution is Site Sell.  This company offers not just hosting but a suite of keyword testing tools to help you target your new site's content accurately to attract visitors.  Their search engine optimization-driven (SEO) approach gets top reviews.  They have an informative "video tour" of their system here.

Bye bye IPW!

Do you have recommendations for quality yet affordable web hosting services?  I'm especially interested in those that offer really easy to use, WYSIWYG editing systems that include attractive design templates. 

if so, please email us or contribute to the discussion by entering a Comment.

 

Comments

[George]

Scott,

Have you (or anyone else reading this) had any experience with www.BlueHost.com? I'm particularly interested in experiences within the last 6-12 months as it seems that there may have been some growing/expansion pains for a short time.

The list of what's included for $6.95 is most impressive.

Thanks,
Geo

[Mark Egan]

I took you book advice and chose IPW to host my sons web site. What a mistake...IPW is a disaster! I am in a fight with these guys every time I turn around. Nothing...absolutely nothing is user friendly about their upgrades. I would love to dump these guys but is seems like once your in their system...they got you. As it is now we can not access his site to make any changes and the info. I receive from their tech. reps is so complicated only a IT nerd has any hope of figuring it out...and I aint one.

Mark

[Scott Fox]

Hi Mark,
I'm very sorry for you and your son. Unfortunately IPW has really gone down hill and I am sorry that I included them by name in my book. I'm glad that you found this post where I revoked my recommendation but unfortunately it sounds like it was too late for you and your son's site.
Please keep your eye on this blog and/or my noozles and we'll try to help everyone with updated recommendations as we go.

[damien]

Hello Mr. Scott,

I'm Halfway through your book and getting to the good part really looking forward to it. Any comments for sitecube.com, I looked into it and it looks pretty good and have noticed some websites using it. Right now my choices are that and your new recommendation. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

thank you.

[Mark Young]

Hi Scott,

Great book - it's opened up a whole new world for me, however I need your advice....

I've just completed a book that will very soon be published and available on general sale. I would like to make to book available for download from my own website (that I'm yet to build). I am a complete novice and would like to know who the best people are for dealing with transactions for downloads?? You mention PayLoadz in your book? or can I use good ol' Paypal?

Please help! Kind regards
Mark.

[Scott Fox]

Hello Mark,
Welcome. I'm glad that you enjoyed my book so much.
For downloading a document like a free book, any hosting service can offer a basic link setup for you unless you are doing very high volume.
If you are trying to sell the doc, you want a service like Payloadz to help process the credit cards and manage file delivery securely.
Payloadz is worth researching more and I would also suggest you look at e-junkie.com and Clickbank. Many shopping cart systems include this capability also, so read the fine print.
I hope that helps.
Keep us posted on your progress!
Scott

[Mark]

Hi Scott, really enjoying reading your book. My question is I want to set up a website and get into affliate marketing with some well known companies. I understand they have to look at my website before approval. Can you tell me what they are looking for in a website? I have no idea what to put in my website to get their approval. Also, I have no confidence in myself to build a website so would it be best to hire a web designer for this ? Thanks for the help. Mark

[Scott Fox]

Hi Mark,
Thanks for dropping by.
I wouldn't worry so much about getting approval from affiliate programs to start. There are plenty who will approve just about anybody. Get started and demonstrate some traffic and sales of other affiliate products and the "big boys" will soon approve you, too. Try visiting CJ.com for programs you can join.
If you have zero confidence or expertise in building a web site, yes, you can hire a designer. I'd suggest trying yourself anyway, however. It's inexpensive to do and will teach you a lot quickly. Read my book, Internet Riches, for basics and/or sign up SiteBuildIt (there's a review of this on the home page of ScottFox.com), or try Zlio.net also.
Welcome to our community!
Scott

[Mark]

Hi Scott,

I love the book and am glad I logged onto your website today as I was just about to go with ipowerweb as my host, which you initially recommended in your book. I looked at sitesell.com which seems great but it doesn't list the features that you get with your website anywhere. Normally this would make me think that they are hiding something but since you are recommending them I thought I would ask you first.

How good are they? Do they offer the same range of technical features as ipowerweb?

I have emailed sitesell.com as well but would appreciate your non biased advice.

Thanks for writing this book, it truly has given me the inspiration and the tools to start living my dream, instead of working to pay for my boss' dream!

Mark

[Scott Fox]

Hi Mark,
SBI offers many of the site-building tools that you'll want if you're starting a new online business.
More importantly (and this is why I recommend them), they focus even more on helping you develop a good business model. Unlike most site vendor services, SiteSell puts you through exercises up-front to help determine the most profitable business niche (and accompanying search engine keywords) for you.
This is unusual in the web world - most companies just want to sell you technical services without regard to what you do with them. SBI actually helps you with the busines first, then the web site. This is what usually justifies their higher price - cheap hosting with a bad business model is no bargain. A slightly more expensive site that has a good plan for revenue generation will save you lots of time and make you more money.
Hope that helps.
Scott

[Joan]

Loved the book. One question. I wanted to try a simple website to start. SiteBuild It is a little pricy. Can you recommend someone else? Typepad is a blogging site, can I set up a website with them?
thanks
joan

[Scott Fox]

Hi Joan,
Glad that you enjoyed Internet Riches.
Yes, SBI can be pricy (although it is on sale right now - visit here for more info: http://www.websitetoolreviews.com/2008/05/sitebuildit.html) but the money is usually better spent up front with them rather than "saving" money with a cheaper deal that provides you hosting but no business support.
As for Typepad, yes, you can definitely use it for a traditional web site. In fact, all of ScottFox.com is hosted with Typepad, not just my blog. My extensive review of the Typepad service is here:
http://www.websitetoolreviews.com/2008/03/bestsitehosting.html
That should be helpful to you.
Keep us posted on your progress!
Scott

[Omayra Carroll]

Do you have any recommendations on any web hosting company that provide website creating tools to create websites kind of like Sittercity.com, which is a membership based website with customer logins and member logins plus accept memberships payments online and security. Please let me know as soon as you can

[Scott Fox, eRiches 2.0 and Internet Riches Author]

Hello Omayra,

This is a good question. In fact, it's one that I've been researching myself lately, too.

Please see the free spreadsheet download I recently offered summarizing 30+ providers of membership web site solutions.

The free spreadsheet is here: http://www.scottfox.com/2008/10/membershipsites.html

Please let us know what you find also by leaving a comment on that post as your research progresses?
Best,
Scott

[Jen]

I was recommended to use Chime Host by a friend and so far i am happy with them. You should look into them if you are looking for cheap rate with tons of features

[Oludare Ayodele]

Hi Scott.
i just finished reading your book - internet riches. I am inspired to start a website. My website will be a catergorized busness directory and blog targetted at small business n my country. i have use your book as a standard. But with the ipower web debacle , i have to be carefull.....Please tell me the best approach to achieve my goal.

i had learnt dream weaver some years back, never done blog nor hosted any site. it was an hobby i want to get back to and perharps i can save cost by building this website myself. Do you think a business drectory and blog is somethig i should try myself. Overall what cost(s) will i be looking at?

Thanks....Your book is still the best buy for me!

[Scott Fox, Author of Internet Riches and e-Riches 2.0]

Hello Oludare,
Thanks for visiting.
I think a targeted business directory is a good idea. As the web continues to grow, reliable directories are increasingly important to help anyone find anything!

A simple directory can just be a list of links (like the E-Business Links Directory here on ScottFox.com, for example).

As your new business grows beyond that, you will likely want to look at a database-driven content management system. That's a bit beyond the basic web site strategies but well worth investigating further.

Try Googling for directory software providers to start. Then also find other sites that you would like to mimic. You may be able to recreate them using outsourced developers you find through elance.com or rentacoder.com.

I hope that helps.
Scott Fox

p.s. You might also try Site Build It - they have a bunch of "plug in" modules. Maybe one of them includes a directory type function.
http://www.scottfox.com/2008/05/site-build-it-e-commerce-business-system-recommendation.html

[Ram Ochoa]

Hello Scott,

I've been reading your book and am interested in building a site selling videos posted by contributors. Is there any way to get templates and services for this online?

[Scott Fox, Click Millionaire]

Hi Ram,
That's an interesting business model but one that is too complicated to find templates ready-made. You could probably cobble something together using free blogs and paypal payment buttons but it would be pretty clumsy.

Instead I would look at similar sites that you like and put together a wish list of requirements and layout ideas to create your own version.

Then post that as a project on elance.com or odesk.com to get bids from freelance developers to build out what you want.

Design, videos, and e-commerce all in one place is a complex design challenge so you'll likely need to hire professionals to do it right.

Thanks for visiting ScottFox.com.
Let me know if you have follow-up questions using http://www.AskScottFox.com and I'll try to help.
Scott Fox

[arvin]

Hi Scott, I'm about to finish your book "Internet Riches". Thanks for sharing your expertise and making it simple for us who do not really belong to the business and internet world. I''m quite disappointed that you've revoked your recommendation for IPW. It would have been a good deal. Can you suggest of any which can replace what IPW previously offered:the hosting and website template? Does typad offer the same? Thanks.

[Scott Fox, Author of e-Riches 2.0]

Hello Arvin,

The big newcomer on the scene is Wix.com. This creates very pretty sites and includes hosting. However, like most flash-based sites the SEO value of Wix sites is very low unfortunately. If you are just looking to create "brochure ware" type site, however, it may be a good solution for you.

I still prefer Typepad, though. It offers basic templates, plus an increasing amount of customization you can easily do yourself at no additional coast. It is a cost-effective solution that I still recommend (and use daily myself).

I hope that helps,
Scott Fox

[arvin]

Hi Scott, thanks for the reply...I have visited the website of Typepad, and I think it's really great in terms of SEO value, that's what my product would need...but it seemed to me that they are more into blogs...I'll be making a website for a new product, not blogs, and what concerns me is if they also have templates for this type of business...where I can upload pictures of the product, background, prices, and stuffs, and an e-cart, basically all the things you taught me in the book...hope you can enlighten me with this regard....by the way, thank you so much for your book, it encourages me to pursue the business...Once I have built the site already, I would purchase your other book again, I'm sure it would be a great help too. Thanks and more power!

[Scott Fox, eRiches 2.0 and Internet Riches Author]

Hi Arvin,
I use Typepad for "regular" web sites in addition to blogs. Their system is flexible enough to support that (as demonstrated by this ScottFox.com site you're reading right now).

I expect that Typepad could handle most everything you describe, with the possible exception of the shopping cart. (But for that you can link out to another service just like I do here to www.ScottFoxShop.com).

The best answer, however, is for you to try it yourself. They still offer a 14 day free trial available I believe.

Only you really know exactly what you need so I'd suggest giving it a shot.

I hope that helps.

[Ketjow]

Hello
I need advice about justhost.com hosting provider.Can someone tell me advantages and disadvantages about this company??Monthly fee is 4.95£ but now there is an offer 1.95£.I am worried that for this price it can be not good service.
Regards

[Scott Fox, eRiches 2.0 and Internet Riches Author]

Hi Ketjow,
I don't know that company so I can't give you a direct answer unfortunately.
Regardless of which company you use, however, I wouldn't worry about a couple of dollars/pounds per month difference. I always recommend saving your money if possible, but if you have developed a sound business strategy that small difference is not as important as your products, plan, marketing, etc.
Thanks for visiting ScottFox.com.