Once you have defined the features to include in your plan, the next step is to set the pricing on page 2 of the plan creation wizard. For each resource, you have the option of charging a setup fee and a recurring fee for "units" of the resource that are used over and above the number you included free with the particular plan. 

For example, if you create a "Starter" plan at $14.95 per month and allow one domain name free with the plan, you might charge a $10 setup and $10 per month fee for additional domains.

You can set the following types of prices for resources and services:

• Setup: a one-time charge payable at the moment of purchasing a unit of this specific resource. Setup fee is not charged for free resources. Changes to setup prices apply only to new users; existing users are not effected.
  
  
• Recurrent: the amount payable at the beginning of each billing period. If a resource is purchased in the middle of a billing period, the recurrent fee is pro-rated. The recurrent fee is charged whenever a new billing period starts, including:
  
  - when a suspended account is resumed;
  - when a user changes their plan or payment interval.
  
  Changes to recurrent prices apply only to new users; existing users are not effected. Recurrent fees are refundable and adjusted for refund percentage.
  
  
• Usage (same as extra and overlimit): the payment for every resource unit used over the free units you included in the plan. Changes to usage prices affect both existing and new users.

Here is a breakdown of each resource corresponding to each section of page 2 of the Plan Creation Wizard and tips on pricing...

Section 1: Prices

Actual Account: The setup and monthly recurring fee for the account

Section 2: Quotas

Summary Traffic: This is the traffic or bandwidth that each account is allowed to use in total for web, mail and ftp.

Note: the "extra" column is the price the user will pay if they go over their allotted traffic limit during the month without purchasing an extra block of traffic in advance. This should be higher than the monthly recurring fee for additional traffic to encourage users to purchase extra traffic in advance rather than just going over quota.

Disk Space Quota: This is the amount of disk space allotted for web content. 

Note: This does not include the space for mail and mysql resources unless "Summary Disk Usage" is checked on page 1 of the plan creation wizard.

Section 3: Domain Types

Domain Registration: allows for automated Registration through Enom. 
The pricing for this is done separately under the "Settings" --> "Domain Registrar" section of your Admin Control Panel.

Domain: Most plans will allow the customer to have at least one free domain included in the monthly fee (you can include multiple domains within each account however).

SubDomain: Most resellers allow a limited number of sub-domains free and then charge $2 or $3 per month for additional.

Stopgap Domains: allows your customers to use hosting services without a real domain by using the "instant alias" feature. There are no email services for stopgap domains and this feature is not normally charged for or used.

Third Level Domain: allow your customers to create third level domains based on the domain names you offer. E.g. if your domain name is example.com, a user can have a domain like thirdlevel.example.com. Third level domains have the same functionalities as second level domains, i.e. regular domains.

Domain Alias: this is also called a "pointer" domain. It's simply pointing a secondary domain to the primary domain. For example, if you have yourname.com you can register yourname.net and point it to the home page of yourname.com. Usually a small setup fee is charged for this.

Parked Domain: this allows your customers to use the H-Sphere DNS to register domains and point them to IP's on other servers outside of our network.

Section 4: Web Services

Most plans offer these web services free as part of the plan. Feel free to charge if you wish.

CGI Resource: allows customers to map file extensions as CGI executables.

cgi-bin Resource: gives your customers their own cgi-bin, in which all scripts are executable.

Front Page: allow your customers to turn on and off FP extensions for their site.

Server Side Includes: allow SSI for your customers.

PHP Module: allow your customers to create dynamic pages with PHP.

Redirect URL: allow customers to redirect visitors from one URL to another.

Directory Index: allows customers to set their own custom directory indexes.

Site Studio: give your customers the web-based automatic website builder that allows them to create sites with no knowledge of html. (Some resellers charge extra for this feature).

Section 5: Site Statistics

Transfer Log, Referrer Log, Agent Log and Error Log: These are the raw log files on the server. We recommend you "include" these but do not "activate" them in your plans. Let your customers do that only if they need them (otherwise they will take up unnecessary space in your account).

Webalizer, Modlogan Resource: These are both Statistics programs that will allow your customers to see how many visitors they have had to their site. (You only need to include one or the other, not both.)

Section 6: Mail Services

Mail services are usually limited to a set number of units, with a small monthly charge for additional units over that limit.

Mailbox: This where you will add how many mailboxes your customers will get with their account.

Mailbox Quota: This is where you will set the amount of mail quota for each unique mailbox.

Auto Responder: Allows users to setup autoresponders.

Mail Alias: Set the number of mail aliases to be included. Mail aliases are alternative names for one mailbox

Mail Forward: Set the number of mail forwards to be included. Forwards forward mail addressed to one email address to a second email address.

Mailing List: Set the number of mailings lists to be included with each account.

Section 7: e-Commerce Options

SSL Module: enables your customers to purchase and install SSL certificates for their domain and secure their pages for transactions and other confidential information. Some resellers charge a setup fee for this..

Shared SSL: allows your customers to share your SSL certificate instead of buying their own. If you set this up, your customers would link to their secure pages using a sub-domain of your secure domain:

httpS://theirdomain.yourdomain.com. 

Most resellers charge either a setup or monthly fee for this feature.

osCommerce: This is an eCommerce shopping cart. It's an open source cart and free to you as a Reseller. Resellers usually charge extra for this or included it only in a higher priced "E-Commerce" plan. Details and support forums for this shopping cart can be found at http://osCommerce.com

Miva: Allows customers to create an online store with Miva Merchant. Please note that they must buy the Miva software from Miva and install the Miva license. For details please visit http://miva.com/products/merchant

Section 8: Database Support

MySQL User: This where you will set how many database users are available for each account.

MySQL Database: This is where you will set the amount of databases for each account.

MySQL Database Quota: This is where you will set the database quota for each database.

Section 9: Other Resources

IP Address: Allow users to switch from a shared IP to a static IP. You are charged $3.50/month for all static IP's so be sure to charge a monthly fee of at least that amount for this item (or you can simply include it as part of your plan pricing).

Note: If you are going to be offering a shared IP environment, make sure that you do not offer any free IP addresses to your customers. If you are going to offer a dedicated IP environment to your customers make sure that you offer at least 1 free IP address.

FTP Sub-account: allows your customers to create additional logins and passwords to the main directory or sub-directories of an account.

Virtual FTP Server: your customers can allow friends and colleagues to upload and download files to their own password protected directories (dedicate IP required).

Anonymous FTP Server: anonymous ftp allows anyone to upload and download files from specific directories (dedicated IP required).

Custom DNS Record: allows your customers to create their own custom DNS records such as nameservers, A records, and MX records (only for advanced users).

Shell Access: allows your customers to connect via SSH. Note: if you include this your customers still have to request it turned ON via the FTP/User link in their end user control panel. All requests need to be approved by the ValueReseller SysAdmins. Most resellers charge a small fee for SSH of $2 or $3 per month. 

When you are done configuring your pricing on this page, select next to go to the next page. There you will have the option of setting up additional billing periods. We recommend you simply hit next at  this point and save the plan because you can setup additional billing periods very easily after the plan is created as discussed below.

Setting Additional Billing Periods

When you create a hosting plan, your pricing is based on monthly billing by default. However, you may want to offer 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month billing periods, perhaps even giving a discount for the longer payment terms.

To setup additional billing periods and discounts, do the following:

1. Click on Info in your Admin Panel.
   
2. Select the "Settings" icon next to the plan you want to work with.
   
3. Under the "billing configuration" section click "add" under the interval column.
   
4. Input the payment interval you want and any discounts you want to make available.

You will now see these additional options on your signup forms.

Creating Signup Links For Automated Signup

Now that you've created your hosting plans there is one more step needed in order to allow automated signup via your website: creating your signup links.

1. Click on "Info" in your Admin CP.
   
2. Under your hosting plans, click on the text that says "Signup Links"
   
3. That will then generate a unique hyperlink for each of your plans. 
   
4. Simply cut and paste those links to use for the "order" or "signup" links or graphics on the hosting plans page of your website.

That's it! You are are ready for business. The last step offers some tips for signing up and managing your customers.

Go to Step 10....