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Mini-guide: negotiating with providers as a small customer

General Discussion by SingaporeRep 99 replies 12.4K views
marcus_qc

Member

#31
SingaporeRep said:
They came back with "we're managed, they're not, but here's 15% off your first quarter." So the technique works even on managed providers...

Montreal reseller here. KnownHost is my upstream for clients who need managed. Their 15% is standard "please don't leave" money. I've gotten 25% by threatening to move a client with three VPS to their competitor.

The threat has to be credible. I actually had quotes from the competitor. Sales can smell bluff.

42U and still growing
sara

Member

#32

This is all very interesting but I feel like I'm reading a different planet. I'm in Nairobi trying to keep my shop's website online. I pay Hostinger $6/month for shared hosting because they have a "Kenya" option in the dropdown.

Should I be negotiating? I don't even know what I'd ask for. The site works most days.

RAJ

Member

#33
sara said:
Should I be negotiating?

For shared hosting at $6/month? Probably not worth the time. The techniques in this thread are for VPS and dedicated where margins are fatter and sales teams exist.

Your best move is checking if Hostinger's renewal price jumps. They often do first-year discounts. Set a calendar reminder to shop around before renewal.

your margin is my opportunity
SO

Member

#34
sara said:
I'm in Nairobi

Bangalore here. Similar situation a few years ago. I was on Hostinger shared, moved to their VPS when traffic grew, then realized I was paying VPS prices for shared-level support.

Now I use AWS Lightsail for the main site and keep Hostinger for email. The split works better than any single provider.

KE

Member

#35
sodastr said:
AWS Lightsail for the main site

Lightsail is just EC2 with training wheels and no negotiation possible. Amazon doesn't have a "mention competitor price" button. You pay what the console says.

I tried once with AWS support. Laughed out of the chat, basically. Now I only use them for things that literally only run on AWS.

LA

Member

#36

AWS is for when you need the ecosystem. S3, Lambda, the IAM maze. For a straight VPS there are twenty better options.

Sofia here. I run a small game server community. Negotiated with OVHcloud for a dedicated server in their Limburg location. Mentioned Hetzner's auction prices. Got 10% off and free DDoS protection upgrade.

The DDoS protection was the real win. Game servers get hit constantly.

polskiegsm

Member

#37
LAZY23 said:
For a straight VPS there are twenty better options.

Wrocław here. OVHcloud's Warsaw location is closer but their Limburg network is better connected for gaming. Less peering drama. I run CS:GO servers there, pings from Poland are 18ms.

For cheap VPS I use Hetzner or Polish providers. My own country's hosting is overpriced for what you get.

kasiaxus

Member

#38
polskiegsm said:
Polish providers

Which ones? I'm Wrocław too but work for German company so I use German providers for compliance. Curious what's good locally.

Also: Hetzner's Falkenstein to Wrocław is 22ms. Nuremberg is 16ms. Worth knowing for gaming.

POLISH SERVERS. LOUD FANS. GOOD PRICE.
polskiegsm

Member

#39
kasiaxus said:
Which ones?

OVHcloud Warsaw for dedicated if you need local IP for Polish customers. Beyond.pl for actual Polish company with Polish support. But their prices are not "cheap VPS" territory.

For cheap I still go Hetzner or OVHcloud auction. The Polish premium isn't worth it unless you need the local presence.

DA

Member

#40

Antwerp here. EU data residency requirements mean I sometimes need Belgian or at least EU-located servers. OVHcloud's Gravelines is technically France but clients accept it.

Has anyone successfully negotiated GDPR-specific terms into a VPS contract? I ask for DPA addendums and most small providers look at me like I'm speaking Martian.

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