Foscam US Drops Foscam, Becomes Amcrest, OEMs Dahua

By Brian Karas, Published Aug 02, 2016, 09:23am EDT

Foscam out, Dahua in.

We spoke to Adam Ravat [link no longer available], the CEO of Foscam US, now Amcrest, about why he rejected Foscam, went with Dahua, and how up he built a business selling tens of thousands of cameras monthly. 

Foscam ** ** *** *******

****** ** *** ********* as ******* ***** ****** ******** to ***** ***** ********* distributor *********** *** *** US. A********* ** *** ****** US ********* *** ****** *** this ****** *****:

...*** ******** *********have ******* ** ******** ** and supply to our major customers directly. For this reason, we have no choice but to suspend telephone support for all Foscam branded products.  [Emphasis Added IPVM] 

***** **** ** *** offered * ******** ** a ****** ********, *** was *** ********** ** giving ** ******* ** the ******** ** *****. By ******** * *** company, ***** * ***** and ********* ** *** control **** ** **** he *** ********* *** risk ** ******* **** to *** ******** ******** manufacturer. 

******* ********

******* ****** ********* ** excess ** **,*** *****/*****, and ~$*** **** *******. 

****** *** ******* ****** a ***** ** ********, including *******, ********* *** baby ********, ***** ******* are $*** **** ******* ******-**** ****. *** ******* ***** to ****** ** ***** ******** **** * wifi ***** ********, *** * *******-******* camera ** ******* **** Ring *** ****, ************. They **** ** ******* on *** ******* **** experience ** * ******* price, ****** **** *** undercut *********** ** * significant ****** ******* *********** product *******.

******* ********* ***** ****** ** end-users ****** ************* *** ***** ****** and **-***** *********.  **** **** **** a ***** ******* ** installers, ********* ********* **** specialize ** ***** ****** like */* **** **** want * ****** ****** offering *** *********.

Dahua ******* ******** ***********

**** ***** *** ** chose ** **** **** Dahua **** ********* ** other ***/*** *********, *******'* CEO **** **** ***** was **** ******* ** implement *** ************** *** requirements, ********* **** ****** had **** ******** ** do, ********** ******* ** decide **** ** *** product ************** ** ***** own.  ******* ***** **** products ****** **** *****, and ****** *** ***** to ***** **************.  *** example, ***** *** ******* to ***** ******* **** Sony ******* *** ********* SoC's **** ******* *********.

Dedicated **** ****** *** *******

******* ******* ***+ ********* *********, including ~** ** * call ****** ** *****. Amcrest ******** ***** **** lifetime ******* ** * selling ******* ** *** camera *** ********* **** differentiates **** **** ***** or ***** ********* ** the ***** ******.

Foscam ***

********* ** *******, ***** of ******-************ ******* **** dropped ************ ** *** US ** *** ******* struggles ** **** * distributor **** *** ****** the ******* **** **** comes **** ******* ** cameras ****** ** *********. Ravat **** ******* **** Foscam *** ****** ******* issues, ***** *** ********* in ******* ****** ****** ******* ** ****** *******.

OEM *********

**** ******* ********* *** / ********** ******* ************* and **** ** ******* tougher. ** *** *********** between ***** *** ********* continues ** **** **, both *** *** ******** and ***** *** ****** sales, ** ****** ** see **** *** ********* as ******* ********* **** better ************ ** **** ahead ** **** *********** market ******.

Comments (7)

Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | 08/02/16 03:43pm

Amcrest still trying to squeeze out a little more mileage on the Foscam brand association:

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

08/03/16 01:21pm

Once Dahua develops full ranges of products and gets comfortable with the online channels such as Amazon, Dahua would do the same - undercut this sole distributor.

Apparently, this guy really tried to monopolize the channel management for Foscam and Dahua. This might work against the modern trend of multi-channel or balanced channel management strategies that you can find in any US business school textbooks.

The other question we should be asking is: how much profit % this guy squeezed from Foscam? Being the sole distributor certainly gave him a lot of bargaining power over Foscam. If he asked for too much and left Foscam little profit for reinvestment in R&D, it might legitimize Foscam's move to undercut him.

Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2 | 08/03/16 05:35pm

Apparently, this guy really tried to monopolize the channel management for Foscam and Dahua.

Who does he think he is, a distributor or something?

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

08/10/16 03:28pm

I am looking forward to the next article showing that Dahua has gone direct and left him out to dry

Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 08/10/16 03:47pm

I Amcrestfallen.

Avatar

Brian Karas

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 08/11/16 10:06am

Definitely could happen, but that is why he went with "Amcrest" instead of DahuaUSA or something similar. By owning/controlling the main brand if he switches OEM's, or the OEM dumps him, he can pickup with a new supplier and keep using the Amcrest name.

Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | 09/08/16 05:01pm

Amcrest continues be concerned about my Foscam firmware being up to date.

However, since I'm not a Foscam customer and they're not a Foscam distributor, I'm confused.

Oddly, there is nothing else here about how or where to update my firmware:

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