Planning ahead . . .

[SherylT]

Right now I'm rebuilding my pages in anticipation of moving current site to VodaHost.

For those of you who have already taken a site away from SOI, what are the steps that should be taken to close out the account there?

I may be wrong, but I'm think this:
1. Login to Storebuilder and delete all files
2. Change nameservers to new host (domain is already at GoDaddy)
3. Contact SOI and tell them to STOP charging monthly hosting fees and that I want to cancel their services IMMEDIATELY.

Am I correct?

[Bethers]

You are smarter than me, as I never deleted all my SOL files. Just closed the account - so they are probably all still sitting there where I can't see them - but they can.

I would move #2 up to the first position - as when you change the nameservers - your SOL store will stay up until the change takes effect - which can take a few hours. Your store would never be down then. After it's up and working pointed at the new host then I would delete the files and contact SOL.

[SherylT]

That sounds good. For some reason I had in my head that if I changed the name servers before deleting files, that when the site was pulled up my SOI files would still show up, even when hosted with VH.

Sometimes I really overthink things! :D

[Effectiveselling]

That is good advice, Beth, and I'm going to do the same with the second site, as I also did not delete the files on the poker site, and now cannot access it anymore. On a positive note, I did get a refund for them charging me hosting fees for the poker site that I had asked them to close down!

[SherylT]

Beth ALWAYS has good information, doesn't she! :D

Sania (and Beth), what is the best way to contact SOI when I want them to cancel the site? Via email, chat (yikes!) or maybe registerd mail?

I honestly can't express how happy I am with the Blue Voda program! Got a whole lot done today. All the navigation pages are done, now it's just a matter of adding in all my product pages. I'm guessing (with going back to work Tuesday), that I'll finished up in about a week or so. Then I can go ahead and CANCEL!!

[Bethers]

Sheryl, that's so good - considering you learned how to do the iframe with the colors and the php navigation this weekend - and still are so far along!

You can't close it via chat - you have to email - some have said they had to then fax, I didn't have to do that. I did call on one and I requested that I receive back an email that it was done - because I wanted something from their end saying that my site was closed (and I certainly saved that email just in case I ever see a charge by them :) )

[SherylT]

I'd definitely get something in writing from them too! Should I email Sean Guy directly or just go through Customer Service?

I did submit another question to VH last night regarding PHP menu. Was a little confused about alt tags showing up. Hopefully, I'll hear from someone sometime today and I can continue to move forward.

The last thing I finished up Sunday night was my "Resources" pages. While I was updating them, I moved your link for "A Child's Palace" and the one for "Pinata Palace" to the tops of the categories (Babies & Kids and General Interest). After all the help you've given me, I feel it's the least I can do. I'll make sure not to add anyone ahead of you!

"Talk" to you soon.

[Effectiveselling]

Sheryl,

I tried the email route, but after they charged me for another month and I called about it, I was told that I had to fax them a signed request. I did that, included a copy of the email showing the exact date of my first request, and guess what......... I actually got a refund for that extra month's hosting fees! Chat would DEFINITELY won't do you any good.

Let me know if you need any help with the php menu if you don't hear back from the forum. I've done it for my new site and am doing it too for the new porcelain site. It's a blessing to have that so I don't have to redo ALL my pages when I need to update the menu and/or footer.

[SherylT]

Thanks for the info Sania.

Just checked VH forum and they haven't answered my PHP question yet, so maybe you can help.

I created menu, with buttons like your poker site, pasted the correct code in html box on my index page. Published both menu and index page as PHP. Menu show up fine.

When I put the mouse over my menu buttons a tag shows up there. I see that yours doesn't do that.

Example: Personalized Items button, shows a tag of personalizeditems.html when the mouse is placed there.

I'm sure this is probably a simple fix, but I'd really like to use this on my pages, because as you said if you make one change to menu, it will change on all pages. What a time savings!

[Effectiveselling]

Sheryl,

First, my poker site is in Soho, not BV, so it will show differently. Look at my Sport Collectibles site to see if that's what you're talking about.

Second, you know that if you do this one menu page you need for all your pages to be in php, right?

[Bethers]

Actually, the tag is a good thing - you want it to be there - as it makes it more compliant.

And I haven't been on the VH forum yet today - and first time on this one :)

[SherylT]

Thanks ladies. I was pretty sure all pages had to be PHP, but now I know for sure. Thought I'd figure this out and make the PHP change before I had 200 pages!

Your Sports Collectibles site shows tags the way mine does, so I guess I'm doing it right.

[Effectiveselling]

Yep, you're doing things right. I just want to remind you to do all the pages in php before you made 200 html ones!

[Matt]

one point came to my mind, since our days with SOL are coming to an end as well.
Once you cancel their non existing service as a "unit", let them know, that in case there is anything left on your site, that it is copy righted and you don't give them permission to use it.