The Planet Launches Its First Consolidated Reseller Program

HOUSTON -- The Planet, the world’s largest privately held dedicated hosting company, today launched its first reseller program under the company’s new corporate moniker.  The three-tiered program provides Web hosting resellers with multiple options for building their businesses. 

In an industry-first, The Planet will offer charter members a free month of service for each new server purchased during the three-month introductory launch.  Resellers interested in participating in the new program can apply for reseller status by meeting specific qualifying criteria:  http://www.theplanet.com/partners/hosting_reseller.asp

“The hosting industry has been built by entrepreneurial Web hosting resellers, and it continues to gain traction as more and more companies rely on the abundant supply of products and services available via the Internet,” said Steve Kahan, vice president of marketing and product management with The Planet.  “With more than half of our business coming from resellers, The Planet has built its reputation as the premier provider of hosted IT infrastructure for the reseller industry, and we have attracted some of the most successful resellers in the world.  As the Web hosting market matures, our resellers require a broader framework for expanding their businesses with enterprise-class products and services.  Our new program has been designed to fulfill their requirements with specialized pricing, programs and tools that provide the foundation for growth.”

“We never forget that customers shape our business, and reliable service and quality products are required for their success,” said Dan Moses, president of Kansas City-based Integrity Host.  If they purchased these services on their own, it would require thousands of dollars of upfront expenses.  We eliminate these expenditures and provide a hosted model at significantly lower costs.  For almost four years, we’ve relied on The Planet’s data centers and networks to build our business.  As they’ve expanded and included more products and services, such as flexible, dedicated backup solutions for clients with specialized needs, we’ve grown with them.  The company’s new reseller program provides new opportunities for my customers and my company.”

During 2007, The Planet has won notable industry awards from two leading publications that track the reseller industry.  The company ranked #78 on the Computer Reseller News list of resellers, while VAR Business placed The Planet at #216 on its annual list.

Reseller Program Overview

With six world-class data centers, and one of the fastest and most reliable networks in the Web hosting industry, The Planet provides its customers with enterprise-scale capabilities priced to fit the requirements of small- and medium-sized businesses.  The company’s new reseller program offers a range of options specifically earmarked for the Web hosting reseller community:

Three-Tiered Program:  Customers can apply for reseller status at three service levels, with monthly recurring revenues of just $500, when they meet The Planet’s program criteria. Resellers are guaranteed specific discounts that escalate based on their levels of participation. 

Dedicated Sales Team:  Resellers can work either with a dedicated and consultative sales executive for placing new orders, or they can order new servers quickly and easily from a reseller-dedicated online order form.

Quick & Easy Scalability:  The Planet offers a broad portfolio of options for resellers, with hardware, software, backup solutions, firewalls, load balancers and security options. Resellers who require quick additions can select Ready-To-Go servers that are installed in just one hour or less.  This broad array of solutions is designed to meet the simplest to the most sophisticated range of products and services for resellers.

Reseller-Enabled Portal with Marketing Collateral: With access to one of the industry’s most robust portals, customers will find an information resource with tools targeted specifically to meet their business goals.  Resellers can take advantage of marketing collateral at no charge, with selections that include brochures, photography and white papers. The company also plans to publish a reseller-only newsletter that provides business tips and exclusive offerings for its reseller community.

Quality Hardware Selections:  With The Planet’s partnership with Dell, resellers can be assured that their businesses run on servers from a quality hardware manufacturer. 

About The Planet

The Planet is the leading provider of On Demand IT Infrastructure solutions, hosting more than 22,000 small- and medium-size businesses and 3.1 million Web sites worldwide.  By offering the best choice of servers, software tools and world-class support, backed by state-of-the-art facilities and unmatched network connectivity, The Planet helps turn information technology into a powerful competitive advantage that enables customers to successfully grow their businesses.  For additional information, visit http://www.theplanet.com.