cPanel-based Reseller Website Hosting

The cPanel reseller hosting mode of operating works by chopping cPanel server(s) into predefined reseller packages, which are later traded as individual reseller plans. Each and every single cPanel reseller web page hosting account is managed by the WebHost Manager (WHM) administration user interface. WHM is the location where the reseller creates the shared web hosting accounts sold on behalf of his own brand name. Here are the standard steps a regular cPanel hosting reseller has to go through:

1. Choose a billing/invoicing software platform

So as to collect payments from their customers, the resellers need to obtain an invoicing platform connected with the cPanel/WHM software. The most popular invoicing systems for cPanel and WHM are ModernBill, WHMCS, ClientExec and AWBS.

2. Create a merchant account

A merchant account for credit/debit card payments is required. Preferably issued by a bank (Bank of America, HSBC, Barclays, etc.) or some type of a billing gateway (PayPal, WorldPay, 2CheckOut, etc.). Without the merchant account, the reseller could not gather any credit/debit card payments from his webspace hosting customers. This merchant account has to be set up inside the preferred invoicing platform by the keen reseller.

3. Establish a domain reseller account

If you are going to offer domain name registration and transfer services to your clients, you need to create a domain reseller account with a certain domain registrar and to link it inside the invoice platform.

4. Set up the shared web site hosting plans

The cPanel reseller web space hosting business modus operandi enables the reseller to sell shared hosting plans exclusively. Using the WebHost Manager tool, the wholesale website hosting supplies need to be divided into smaller plans.

5. Set the price tags for the shared website hosting plans

Now is the time for the reseller to set the price tags for the promoted shared web site hosting packages. While doing this, it's preferable to pay good attention to the circumstance that inside the invoice software platform (which is separate from cPanel and WebHost Manager, in other words a third login location for the reseller so far and 2nd for the customers) the clients will be able to examine their invoices (due or paid) and the earlier transactions made, i.e. this is the Billing Manager for the devoted cPanel hosting customers as well. cPanel has approximately 150 sections inside (the customer needs to pick up fast), but does not offer any Billing or Invoice Manager. Can you believe that?

6. Select the price tags for the domain names

The client interface offered by cPanel also does not support very important domain name procedures, such as registrations, transfers, renewals, parking, DNS registrations, Domain Name System record changes, etc. So, this payment software platform is also providing a place for the earnest cPanel website hosting clients where they can execute some (yet, not all) of the aforesaid vital domain name administration and manipulation procedures. So, now is the time for the reseller to pick which top-level domain names (TLDs) are going to be promoted and to set their corresponding registration, transfer and renewal prices.

7. Append a trouble ticket platform

Another thing that lacks in the customer interface provided by cPanel is a trouble ticket section (a technical support system). On the basis of the billing system the reseller has chosen already, a technical support platform is either present or not. If it is not included, the reseller has to provide a ticket system and to install it somewhere. Somehow the shared hosting clients should be informed of its presence.

8. Link the order wizard with the website

At last, now is the time for the reseller hosting web site itself. There the shared site hosting plans and domains can be obtained by the prospective clients. The entire website must perform in perfect accord with the payment system. This means, within the site, the order wizards and the order pages have to be connected accurately.

Let's sum up the login locations present with the cPanel-based web site hosting reseller plans. There are minimum two and maximum four locations to log in to, which can be very disconcerting for the resellers and chiefly for the clients.

For the reseller the login places are:

(1) cPanel (for the reseller website); (2) WebHost Manager; (3) the invoicing software platform; (4) the ticket system (this is in the case that the billing gateway does not already incorporate it - some do, others don't).

Login locations for the excited cPanel website hosting customers:

(1) cPanel; (2) the billing software; (3) eventually the customer support platform.