The classifieds in the papers bring together various parties of potential buyers and sellers.  In line with this principle, there are sites whose line of business is to create a marketplace for users to shop for the best web hosting deals offered by the myriad of service providers.  Basic economics also point out the practical impossibility of reaching out to the masses by staying in one’s compound without meeting and mingling with clientele and competitors alike.  As such, these sites perform a sort of value-added service by hosting the host to market their various web hosting coupons.

Whilst serving as a bulletin board for advertisement, these sites perform the function as independent reviewers of the various hosting service providers.  Since the public rarely has the time or expertise to weed out the worthy from the worthless, they rely greatly on their advice to chart the course.  By rating offers based on cost, service level and other industry accepted criteria, they provide the consumer with a list of best hosting providers on a periodic basis.  In the event one opts to host his or her site in a specific country, the information is readily available.

These sites perform the role of an agent in marketing the various web hosting coupons.  As such, service providers only honor the special offers promised on the coupons so long as their customers’ selections originate from these sites.  This means that an interested customer is to click a link for a coupon advertised on this site.  The link then takes the customer into the actual hosting service provider’s site for further details.  If the customer directly approaches the hosting provider’s site, the same deal may not be available for selection.  Perhaps this is a gentleman’s agreement for a fair fight between the host and the host of hosts.