paid webbased email

[MoroSwitie]

I would like to offer paid webbased e-mail (like hotmail gmail etc etc)
The script and webmail client are all taken care of. I will create the script myself in php.

The questions is, does anyone out there provide similar service and how is he she doing. I'm not talking about free email.

I just want some pointers on what to do and what not.

[Jeffreyw]

You have offer more than what Google and Yahoo already have. This would be an uphill battle for you. Just think of other ideas to make your webmail service distinct from the rest.

[DNGeeks]

I don't think you have to offer more space, as what is happening out there is ridiculous. Offer features they don't have or offer. pop3 (google has it, yahoo used to make you pay for it, don't know any more) larger sized attachments could bring in customers, personal domains, sub control panels for offering corporate mail access, personalized branding and lots more that can be done.

Your market probably will not be individuals, but small business.

[Dale Hubbard]

Been there, done it twice, spent tens of thousands of dollars on it and failed miserably (the second time -- first time was OK). For the finest solution sign up for a free account at www.fastmail.fm -- easily the best there is IMHO.

My success was in the late 90s when I founded www.anytimenow.com (which I now have no interest in) and my failure was universalpostoffice.com which got abused by spammers and blackholed into oblivion.

Final suggestion: Don't even think about bothering

[flashweb]

MoroSwitie, do you have any demo, what features, pop3, imap, web mail ?

I am interested in starting email service. But little worried about SPAMERS using the service as its free.

[katherine]

IMO you have to stand out from the well-known providers like yahoo, hotmail etc.
- offer more space and more features
- offer POP3 access
- offer a variety of vanity domain names to choose from: ie if you sign up with hotmail then you have a hotmail.com address only. It would be good to offer E-mail with an alternate domain name (say a list of 20 or so)
- offer some Mb for Hosting a small website
- run a referal program

[MoroSwitie]

I can't provide you with a demo right now. Because like "DNGeeks" said, you need to standout.

I found just the solution for this, and I'm working on the php script. It is almost done. If you want to I can sent you the link to the website as soon as the public beta starts ?

[DNGeeks]

I'll add on to my previous statement.

Bigger attachments, most webmail providers only allow 10mb attachments, offer 20mb, or better yet a custom plan for companies that might need more.

Branding. Yes google is talking about Hosting corporate mail for free. But users are still going to have to view ads and google will own their data. Brand their webmail however they want, remove ads, guarantee privacy.

Control. Admins want control! Adding and removing accounts isn't enough. Let them limit emails sent, add filters, ability to send notices to all users of their mail service, ability to copy/monitor email for activity and lots more.