Of course you have! We've all visited sites hosted on these "cost-free hosts" at some point or another :o)
HEY, WHAT'S WRONG WITH FREE?
Now don't get me wrong... there is nothing wrong with "free hosts" so to speak. They can be a great resouce for beginners at web site design to post their initial work on or for family members to post vacation pictures to share with Grandma and Gramps... those are all excellent uses of these "free hosts".
THINK HOW YOU WOULD FEEL...
But I want you to think back for a minute and recall the feelings you had while you were at one of those "free hosted sites". Regardless of how well-designed and great looking the site was, you still had a subconcious impression at the back of your mind that said something along the lines of, "This site is nice, but I can see by the fact of it being hosted on this 'free host' that the owner doesn't place a lot of VALUE on his own site.... so why should I?"...
Basically when it comes down to it, I want you to imagine that you are a prospective customer, considering purchasing an item online from one of these "free hosted sites"... I'm guessing that at this point you are having serious second thoughts, am I right?
...GETTING TO THE POINT :o)
When a prospective customer is deciding whether to make a purchase at your site, one "strong consideration" they will make is on your Domain Name (or lack there-of). I am not saying that "what" the domain name is matters so much as "the existence" of the domain name. People look for that clean-cut .com or .net (etc) and if it is not present, they will strongly reconsider entrusting you with their credit card information.
YOU KNOW THE WHY - NOW HERE'S THE HOW...
Here are a few good resources for you to consider if you do not already have a domain name of your own, or if you have your busniess site posted on a "free host" and would like to find a "real host".
directNIC -- Domain registration prices have dropped through the floor over the past few months... this company offers $15/year domain registration as well as a good selection of tools for managing your account. I recommend this one over the most popular registrar, "Network Solutions" (also known as interNIC), which still charges $70 for 2 years.
TopHosts -- a great resource for finding the right host for your needs. They offer reviews of many of the best hosting companies around. Make sure you thoroughly read up on your prospective host before signing that contract!
There are, of course, many other excellent domain registrars and host review sites. I encourage you to search on your favorite search engine and find several of them and compare the reviews and prices on each before making your final decision.
Good Luck!
