Avigilon Quietly Slashes H3 Camera Pricing 30-50%

By: IPVM Team, Published on Jun 13, 2016

Pricing has fallen throughout the camera market.

But Avigilon has held firm. Until now.

Avigilon's legacy H3 cameras are now getting major price cuts. In this note, we examine the specific numbers, the impact of this and the competitive positioning vs Axis and Hikvision.

******* *** ****** ********** the camera ******.

*** ******** *** **** firm. ***** ***.

********'* ****** ** ******* are *** ******* ***** price ****. ** **** note, ** ******* *** specific *******, *** ****** of **** *** *** competitive *********** ** **** and *********.

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H3 ******* *** "*** ****"

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******** ******* ***** ******* a ******** ** **-**% off *** **** *****, which *** ***** **** access ** ** ***** of ******** ******* ** the $***-$*** *****.

Avigilon's ********* ********

******** ** ****** * different ***** **** **** (see: **** ******** *** **** Cameras), ** *********** ** established ******* ******* ** introducing * *** ******, or ******** * ******* featureset *******.

*** ******* *** **** a ****** ** ****** moves **** ******** **** are **** ******* ** bottom-line ************* **** ******, and **** ******** ****** them ** *********** **** up ***** **** ***** have ********* **** **** to ***********.

VMS, ********* ****** *********

***** ******** *** ********** select *******, *** ******* prices ****** *********. ********'* video ********* ****** **** remain ********* ***** ***** introduction ** *********, ****.

Performance ** ** ** ** ***********

*** ******** ** ****** performed **** ** **** tests, *** *** ** series, ***** ******, ** not ************ ******. (*********** ** ****,******** ** ****). ** **********, *** 'old' **'* ** ***********, widely ********* ** *** series, ** ***** ****.

* *** ********** ** H3 ** ***** ******** high ********* ***********, ********** considering **** *** ********* now ****** ******* ***** codecs *** *** ** series, ***** *** ********** smart ******, **** ******* 'idle ***** ****' ***** can ****** ********* ***********.

Axis *** ********* ***** ***********

*** ***-**** ******* (*.*., vs **** * ******), Avigilon now *** ******** ** significant ***** ********** ***** Avigilon ** *** ***** varifocal ******* ** **** than **** / **** Axis * ****** *******. Likewise, ***** ********* ***-**** cameras *** *** ****, Avigilon ** *** ****** the *** *************.

*** **** ********** ** on *** ***** ***** / ***** ***** ****, where ********* ********* (**** ~$100 ********** ** *******) and **** **** ***- $200 *** ****) **** notable ***** **********. ******** still *** ******** ***** ****, ***** ** *** very ***********, **** ** performance ** *****. ******** will **** ** ******* that ** **** **** to ** ***** *********** in **** *******.

Fitting **** *** ********

**** *** ***** ********* makes *****, ***** ******** indications from ******** **** **** do *** **** ** compete ****** ** *****.

******* ********** ***** ** Avigilon **** ****** **** they **** **** ****** to **** ** **** Hikvision ******* ** **** based ** *** ** order ** **** ***********, this ******* ******* ******** an *********** ** ******** a ******** ** ******** their ****** ****** ** justify *** ******** *******.

** ***-******** ****** **** still ****** **** ********* than ** ***-**** ** all-Hikvision ******, *** *** at * ***** ***** that *** ** **** justifiable *** *********.

Comments (9)

Michael Miller

06/13/16 02:06pm

The older servers have also had a large price reduction since the 2 new lines of servers have been released.

Undisclosed #1

06/13/16 03:01pm

Does Avigilon have a public MSRP (not dealer price) list?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 06/13/16 07:21pm

Avigilon does not intend to make MSRP generally public. It's hard to completely avoid it because, e.g., it needs to be done for GSA pricing, etc., but Avigilon tries to keep it as hidden as possible.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to John Honovich | 06/14/16 02:17am

Does the MSRP truly represent what Avigilon wants the customer to pay then?

With public MSRP's, the retail street price is often far below the published price on purpose. The manufacturer does not intend for most to pay this, instead it is meant to give a perceived feeling of value.

In the case where the MSRP is not readily available to the consumer, you lose this benefit, as the only person communicating this is the dealer, and there is no way to verify it (except another dealer, perhaps).

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 06/14/16 07:32am

In the case where the MSRP is not readily available to the consumer, you lose this benefit, as the only person communicating this is the dealer, and there is no way to verify it (except another dealer, perhaps).

My impression is that Avigilon, and their dealers, generally consider this a feature, not a flaw.

That said, I do agree, that as a buyer, not knowing what the normal price range is can be problematic... well, that's assuming the dealer even provides a line-item quote.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to John Honovich | 06/14/16 07:42am

....a feature, not a flaw...

Do you think dealers are allowed to use whatever MSRP is most beneficial to them?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 06/14/16 07:51am

Again, I do not think most dealers even list or share MSRP to customers / on proposals. I mean this in general, not just for Avigilon.

The Avigilon case is tougher, of course, because if a buyers gets a quote of $800 per Avigilon camera, it is hard to tell whether the dealer is marking it up 20% or 200%, while with most other manufacturers, Googling would quickly show you the ballpark.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to John Honovich | 06/14/16 02:23pm

If they don't show it, tell it or charge it, what use is it?

Is it just to show the dealer what their discount% is?

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | 06/14/16 01:35am

We have seen our contractor that we sub for change from H3 series to Hikvision in the past few deals. They have, so far, stayed with ACC. Time will tell if this price drop will change that.

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