Update: Live Webinar March 16th on the Research Service, explaining more and answering your questions. We've added this to provide more information.
In April, IPVM will add a new tier of access, called "Research", that will be significantly more expensive than our existing subscription offering, which will be called "Info+".
While most everything we offer today in the IPVM subscription will remain in "Info+" (news, profiles, tutorials, ebooks, the Calculator, online shows, and all archives), reports on market analysis (including competition, stocks, financials) and product tests / shootouts will be restricted to the Research service.
Serving 2 Groups of Users
2 groups of subscribers have joined IPVM over the years - (1) professionals who use IPVM for staying informed about security technology and (2) decision makers who use IPVM to pick products and partners or compete against rivals.
Despite that, we charge everyone $199 per person for everything and so most decision makers only pay $199 per year. This reflects pricing and packaging IPVM set more than a decade ago when IPVM was just beginning and offered very little.
The goal here is to simultaneously allow IPVM to be accessible to the 15,000+ and growing subscribers who want news, information, and design software while ensuring that organizations that use IPVM for important business decisions pay commensurate to the value they receive from IPVM.
Why Necessary
For IPVM to deliver deep research, this financial model is necessary. A flat $199 per person subscription disincentivizes deep research that is expensive and time-consuming. There are only so many people who care about how ONVIF Profile M tests or which multi-imager is best or how Axis compares to Verkada. 99.999% of the world's population has no interest in this, even if we gave these reports away for free. However, the small number of organizations who really care and are making important business decisions on these technologies, products, and companies easily can and should pay a premium for that.
This is good both for the IPVM and the industry as it incentivizes us to do deeper research and publish more frequently.
With the increased revenue that the Research service will generate, we plan to hire more analysts and test engineers to produce more reporting.
What Is Being Restricted To The Research Service
The three main elements currently available to all subscribers that will be restricted to the research service are NEW product tests, competitive analysis, and financial analysis after April.
We are also expanding our coverage with new training and tracking of companies and competitors (to be announced in April).
No Action Needed
No action is needed now and all existing reports will remain available to all current subscribers, even after the Research Service is released.
Once the Research Service is released, current subscribers can continue as is with news, profiles, tutorials, ebooks, the Calculator, online shows, and all archives. The only potential decision is to sign up for Research Service if you want reporting restricted to that tier.
Refund Offered
We are confident that almost all subscribers will still find significant value greater than the $199 annual price for the Info+ plan or will see the value in adding the Research Service.
That noted, if anyone wants a refund, we will certainly honor that. Please email info@ipvm.com and Ryan or Ben will process.
Pricing
The Research Service will be priced in the thousands of dollars per year, primarily based on the number of employees an organization has.
Monthly Billing For SMBs
For SMBs, this will cost a few hundred dollars per month and, upon request, we can set up monthly billing for smaller companies.
Scholarships
For those that cannot afford the much higher-priced Research offering, we are planning scholarship options with an emphasis on supporting those who are top Contributors to IPVM discussions, top IPVM Certified Professionals, and those in academia.
Info+ Expansion
At the same time, for our "Info+" tier, we plan to go broader and expand IPVM into adjacent areas to video surveillance (e.g., security management, alarm monitoring) to provide more value to those paying just $199 per year.
Talk to IPVM 1 On 1
Set up a 1 on 1 call with IPVM's Head of Marketing and he can directly answer any questions, hear feedback or explain how the Research Service can benefit decision-makers in your organization.
Feedback In Comments
I am posting this publicly and in advance because I value the community and voices of our subscribers (even when they are critical of myself and IPVM). The floor is open for feedback.