OLD reality gone: Integrator-Installers like myself where able to mark-up 40% or more on the hardware/equipment each and every time and additionally our professional installation fees. Even on lower level kits assembled/integrated by ourselves from different components and sourced parts from different brands which where of course compatible with one another.
NEW reality now: Integrator-Installer is not able to mark-up anymore on the cheapest kits from security wholesalers, nor over the COSTCO's Lorex/Swann/Private Labels DIY All-in-One CCTV KITs with enclosed easy-to-follow instructions and all the marketing, 24-Hour phone support and website information layers that comes with them.
Only exception I guess would be: $30~40 bucks for the pick-up fee which is reasonable for most customers to pay for saving the annoyance of driving his own car to the local COSTO store and waste time on the cashier lines) and then additionally as always the professional fees for installation. The thing is: 99%+ installers tell the customer: you know what, you can buy it yourself and then call me later when you have done so, those $30 bucks are not worth my own time either, it's "not money".
2 things, as far as I know (correct me if I am wrong):
- COSTCO has yet to hire a bunch of technicians in-house to do field service, tech support and installations for the end users in their homes. Their core business is still selling big-box merchandise in attractive and colorful packages and then push them out as fast as possible to the end-consumer.
- COSTO has yet to offer All-In-One DIY Kits that include other more specialized security system components like: Photobeams for perimeter intrusion, Pet-Immune Motion Detectors, Multi-Criteria Smoke Detectors, Video Baluns for situations where the 60-feet siamese cables distances are exceeded and cable runs are up to 100 meters (Ethernet), PVC/EMT conduits, junction boxes, High-Quality 100% Copper Cat.6 network cables, rackmount boxes for protecting DVRs under lock in the wall, etc. and therefore these are still professional integrators' business and therefore subject to mark-up and profit margins.
That said, even if the customer buys the DIY KIT himself, I still DO NOT lose the sale. He will still pay me for my services and I've learned more about those kits and their internal configuration as well.
For many years now, I've seen in hardware stores, some GE and HONEYWELL brand name DIY security products but I am guessing they are not selling as fast as those camera kits at COSTCO, wonder why... I've seen some of them hanging with faded out colors and opened packages (customers returned them maybe after being frustrated on trying to install them himself ??)...
