The cPanel web hosting reseller model functions by segmenting cPanel web server(s) into predefined reseller plans, which are afterwards marketed as individual reseller packages. Every single cPanel-based reseller web space hosting package is managed by the WebHost Manager (WHM) admin device. WebHost Manager is the location where the reseller creates the shared web hosting accounts marketed under his own trademark. Here are the common steps an ordinary cPanel site hosting reseller has to go through:
So as to gather money from their customers, the resellers must acquire an invoicing software platform connected to the cPanel/WHM software. The most famous billing software systems for cPanel and WHM are ModernBill, WHMCS, ClientExec and AWBS.
A merchant account for credit/debit card payments is needed. Preferably issued by a bank (Bank of America, HSBC, Barclays, etc.) or some type of an invoice gateway (PayPal, WorldPay, 2CheckOut, etc.). Without the merchant account, the reseller cannot gather any credit/debit card payments from his site hosting customers. This merchant account needs to be established inside the selected payment platform by the passionate reseller.
If you are going to offer domain registration and transfer services to your clients, you need to create a domain reseller account with some domain registrar and to link it inside the billing processor.
The cPanel-based reseller site hosting business operating model permits the reseller to offer shared hosting packages only. Utilizing the WHM GUI, the wholesale site hosting supplies must be chopped into smaller packages.
Now is the time for the reseller to set the price tags for the offered shared hosting accounts. While accomplishing this, it's advisable to pay good attention to the fact that inside the invoicing software (which is distinct from cPanel and WebHost Manager, in other words a third login place for the reseller so far and 2nd for the customers) the customers will be able to inspect their invoices (due or paid) and the earlier transactions made, i.e. this is the Billing Manager for the exalted cPanel hosting clients too. cPanel has almost one hundred and fifty sections inside (the client needs to learn swiftly), but does not offer any Billing or Invoice Manager. Can you imagine that?
The customer interface provided by cPanel also does not support very essential domain manipulations, such as registrations, transfers, renewals, parking, DNS registrations, DNS record changes, etc. So, this invoice system is also providing a location for the ecstatic cPanel site hosting customers where they can perform some (still, not all) of the abovementioned essential domain administration and manipulation operations. So, now is the time for the reseller to decide which top-level domain names (TLDs) will be offered and to select their respective registration, transfer and renewal price tags.
Another thing that is missing in the client interface provided by cPanel is a technical support section (a customer support platform). On the basis of the invoicing system the reseller has picked already, a trouble ticket platform is either present or not. If it is not present, the reseller has to provide a ticket system and to install it somewhere. Somehow the shared hosting customers should be aware of its presence.
Finally, now is the time for the reseller hosting web site itself. There the shared site hosting packages and domain names can be bought by the prospective customers. The entire website must operate in perfect coordination with the invoice system. This implies, within the website, the order wizards and the order pages must be connected correctly.
Let's sum up the login places present with the cPanel-based site hosting reseller packages. There are at least 2 and maximum four places to log in to, which can be quite confusing for the resellers and mainly for the clients.
For the reseller the login locations are:(1) cPanel (for the reseller web site); (2) WebHost Manager; (3) the billing software; (4) the support system (this is in the event that the invoicing gateway does not already include it - some do, others don't).
Login places for the avid cPanel web page hosting customers:
(1) cPanel; (2) the billing platform; (3) eventually the client support trouble ticket platform.