Online Video Surveillance Sales Comparison - Amazon, B&H, CDW, LTS, Super Circuits, More
IPVM has uncovered the key trends and top options being offered across commonly used surveillance sellers.
How has the market shifted since we originally conducted this in 2015? Where is IP vs analog? How about 1080p vs 4MP vs 4K? How many would be Dahua or Hikvision or Uniview?
IPVM received quotes and recommendations from 11 internet resellers, including:
- 123 Security Products
- A1 Security Cameras
- B&H
- Brickhouse Security
- CCTV Camera Pros
- CDW
- Empire Tech
- ENS
- LTS
- SCW
- Super Circuits
We asked each sales rep for recommendations and pricing for an 8 camera system.
In this report, we show what vendors quoted us, compare trends from quotes and recommendations plus share our experiences talking to each vendor's salespersons. For comparison, we've included several security kits available off Amazon.
Executive *******
**** *** ****** ** ******** **** vendors, **'** ******* *** ********* *** trends ** ****:
- ** ******** -*** ** ******* ********** *** **** a ***** *** ** **-***** *** system *******, ** ****, *** ******** were ****** (******* ***, ****, ***.)
- ********* ************ **** *******: * ** *** ** **** recommended ** ****** *** ** **** Hikvision ************ (* *******, * *****). A1 ******** *******, ********** ********, *&*, CDW, ***, *** ***** ******** *********** such ****. ****** ******** *****, *********, and *******.
- ******** ****** **** ** ******* ******** to ****: ******** ** *** **** ******, the ******* ***** ** **** ********* through ********* *** ********* (****** ***************). This **** ** ***** *** ** contributed ** ****** **** ******/**** *** analog ** ** ** ********* *** higher *********** **** ****** ********. *** example, ** * ****** **-*** *** which ****** ~$*,*** ** ****, ***** in ****, * *** * ****** IP *** ***** ** *** ~$**-$*** more. *******, ** ** ******* **** overall ******* ** *** ********* ** it *** ****** *** '**** ** the ******'.
- *** ********** ******** ******: ** *** ** ******* *********, 9 *********** ***** *** ******* ** higher. **** * *********** ***** *******. This ***** ** ********* **** **** we **** **** ***** ** ************* ***** ********** **** ****.
- ***** ******** ****: ** ** *** **** ***** trends *******, ******** ***** **** *****, either *** ***** ***** ** ******. Quotes **** ******* ******** *** **** day, ******* ** ******* ***** *** call. ** **** ** ******* **** someone ****** *** ***** ** ******* of * ***** ****.
- ******* ******** * *******: ******** ********* ***** *** ********** information **** ** ** ******* ** create * ******* *******. **** *** a ***** *********, ** ********* ******* for * ***** **** ** *** phone ** *** * *********** ****** had ** ** ******* **** ********** process. ***** ******* ***** **** ****** get ******** ********** ** **** ****** to ***** ********** **** ** ***, vendors ***** **** **** *** ********* of * ****, ****** ** ****** mandatory.
- ****** *** **** **** ****** **** Common: ******* **** **** ****** **** dome ** * ***** ****** (* to *) **** * ****** ****** form ****** ***** *******.
- ****** **** **** *********: ******'* ********* **** **** *********, primarily **** ** ****** ******* ******** but **** *** ** **** **** at *** ***-*** ** *** ************ specialists ******. ** ******, ********* ** support *** ***** ** ******* ******* are ********.
Vendor *********
*** ***** ***** ********* ** ****** price, ********** **** **** ** ****** they ****** **, **** ************(*) **** recommend, *** ********** ** *** *******, key *************** ***** *** ******, *** finally ***** (***).
*** ****** **** *** **** **** user "**************" ** *********.*** (~$***.**). ********** Security *** ***, *** *** *** they **** ******** ******** (*) **' Cat5e ***-********** ******.
*** **** ********* *** *** **** a ********* *** *** ******* ** us *** ~$*,***.**. ** **** ******** an ********** ***** *** ** **** 8 ******* *** *** ~$*,***.
** * **** ****, ** **** asked ***** ******** ****, ***** ****** between **** *** ***** ******. ****** 1-3 **** ********** ** ****** ****. Tech ******* *** ******* ********* *** life **** ***** **** **** ***** respective *******. ******* ******** ****** *** not ***.
123 ******** ********
*** **** *** ******** ******* *** questions **** ******** **************. *** ***** model ******* ** ****** ****** *** find *** *** ****** ** ***** website, ***** ********* ************** *** ***** information. *** *********** *** ******** ********. *-******* *** **** * **** cameras *** *** *******.
A1 ******** *******
******** ******* *** **** ******* ** other ******** ******** *** *** **** we **** ***********. ***** ** ****** regarding ****** ****** *** ***** ** web *******. ******* ** **** **** solution *** "*** **** ** **** looking ***". ** **** ***** *** price *** **** ****** ***** **** the *****.
*********** ******* *********-****** ** ****** *** ********* **** turret *** ****** *********** *** *** same ******. *******, ** **** *** to ******* *** **** ***** ********* exactly **** ***** *** **** **** for ~$*,***.
*&*
********* ** ******* *** *** *** and ****** **** ************* ***** ****** integration *** ******. **** *** **** to **** ** ****** ***** *** warranty *********** **** *****. **** ******* of ****** ****** ** ****** *** its "******" *****.
************ ***-****** ******* *** *********** ** ** *-*******, 6 ****** ******. **** *** ** marketed ** * "*** ******" *** their *******.
Brickhouse ********
******** **** ******* *** *** *** on **** ******* ***** ** ********** look ** * *** **** ***** fit *** ********* *****. **** *** quick *** ***** *** ***** **** the ***** ********. ******** *** ******** confusing, ** **** **** * ** day **** ****** *** * ** day **** ****** ** **** *** kit ** ** *** *** **** our *****. *** **** **** **** the *** ** **** *********** *** a **** ***, **** ****** ***** were ** ****** ******* ****** ***** it.
*** *** **** *** *********** ** the***** *****-******-**.
CCTV ****** ****
******* ******* *** *** **** * quotes ******** ***** **** **** **** we **** ******* *** ** * security ******. *** ******* * ****** discount ** *** ****, *** **** mention ** *** ****** ****** ********. The ***** *** ** ** ** kit **** ******** ***' ***** ******:
***** ** *** ****** *** **** was ***** ****** ********, ***** ****** HD ** *****:
***
**** *********, * ************ ******** *** we **** *** ** * ******* wait *** * **** (~** *******). The **** *** ************* *** ***** technically ***** ***** **** **** ** issue ** *** ****** *** *** tech ** ************ *****. ** **** sent * ******, * ********* *** 1 **** *** **********. ***'* ********* ended ** ***** *** **** ******, at ~$*,*** *** ~$*,*** ************. ***** is *** ********* *****:
*** **** ** *** **** ~$*,*** Axis ******** **** ** **** ******:
Empire ****
*** ********************* "**************", * ***** ***** ***** seller, **** ***** ****** ***************. *******, NVR, *** ********** ***** **** **** boxes *** ******** ********** **** ****** are *** ******** ** * ***** per ****. ** ******* ** ******* and ***** *** *** *** *********** and ******** * ***** ****** * few *****.
**********, **** ***** *** * *****, he *********** * ** ** ******** with **** ***** ******** ***** ******* over ~$*,***. ***** ** *** **********:
****, ** ***** *** ** ** could **** ********** ********'* $***.** ********. The **** ***, ************** ****** * 4MP ******** *** ~$***.**, ******* ********** Security's ******** ** **** $***. ***** is *** *****:
***
*** **** ** **** **** ** not **** ******** ** *** ***** because **** *** ***********. ** **** then ****** *** ** ** ********** with ********** ** ** ****** *******. The ******-** **** *** *********** *** efficient. **** *********** ***** *** ****** and ************. *** ******* ** **** linked ** *********** ******* ******, *** ***** ******* ** * finalized *****
***
*** ******* ****** *** *** *******, but *** ********* ** ******** *** those ********** **** ************ ** ***-**** savvy ***** **** *** ** ***** carrying *** ************. *** **** ****** for ********** **** ***** *******. ***** is *** ***** **** *** **** (Does *** ******* ********):
**** **** ** ** ******* *** they *** *** ****** **** ** were ** **********, ***** *** *******.
***
******** **** ******* *** ********* **** IP ** ****** ***** *** ** is *** *** *** ****** ** going. ********* **** **** **** ****** recommendations ** *** *** **** **'* like ** ********* *****. ******* * discount *** *** ***. ***** ** the ***** ********:
Super ********
**** *** **** *** ********, *** rep ****** ** ****** ** ****** company ******* *****. **** **** *** done, * ****** **** **** *** our ************. ** **** **** ****** on ***** *******. ********* **** *** promotion **** **** ******* ***** **** last * ******* ****** ** **** due ** *** "*********** ******* **** China...". ***** ** *** ***** **** Supercircuits *** *************** **** *** ******:
Compared ** ******
******* ******** ** ****** ************ ********* included ******* ** *** ********* **** Amazon. ***** *** **** *** ******** were, ** ***** *** ********* ****:
***** *** *** ****** **** ******* by ***, *** ****** ***** *******/***** from *****, ** ** ****** * camera *** *** ~$***.**. ** ** variant **** ** *** ***** ***** than **** ** *** ********* ** contacted, **** * * ****, * turret *** *** ******* ~$*,***.
***** ****** **** **** ********* ******* for ***** **** ***** ** ** problematic, ** ***** ** ****** *******. On *** ***** ****, ******* ** the ****-***-**** ****** ** **** ****, some ***** ****** **** ***** ** simple *** ** ******* ** ********* (although, **** ** *** ********** *** underlying ******** ***** ** *******).
Vendor *********
** ***** *** *************** ***** ********* basic *********** *******. **** ******** ***** questions **** ***** (*** *** ******* to ****):
- ****** ** **: **** ***** ** **** (** applicable) ***** ** *****. ******** ***** that ***** ***** ** ****** * years ** **** **** *** ****.
- *****: ** ***** ***** *****, ****** for '**** *****' **************.
- ******** ** *********: ***** ******** **** * ********* attached.
- ******** *** *******: **** ** **********, ********* ** where **** ********* ******* ** ******.
- **** ******: ** **********.
- *** *** **** ** ** **** to *** ******: ****** **** ~**' ** ~**'.
** ***** ***** **** ** ****** create ****** ****** ** ********* ******** from ***** *******.
*********: *** ***** *** ** *** from CCTV ****** ****... it seems either: many security suppliers "forget" to add the hard drives (and later the end users will be in for a surprise when they install everything and find out the NVR cannot record anything, but can only live view the cameras) -OR- the suppliers just leave the hard drive out assuming the end users will shop around and buy the cheapest one from Amazon, etc. since margins on HDDs are not profitable at all, and therefore treated as "consumables" items that can be bought almost anywhere. Anyways, I think it would be safer to add "NO HDD, Call for info" as SCW did in their price quote to avoid misunderstandings/bad customer service and complains. It has happened to me before : (
******* ** *** **** ** ** analog ** ****** ************ ***** *********,*** ******** ** ****** ***** **** **** year:
****** ********* ** ** **** *******, also ***** ** ****** ** *******, fell ** ****.
*** ***** ** ****** ** **** literally ** ***** ************ ***** ** even ****** ** ******. **** **** we **** **** ***** ** ********* reps, ***** **** **** **** **** IP *** *** ********, ** ****, when ** *** ***** ** ******. One ****** ** **** ***** ** just ** ****** ***** / *********** in ** ******. **'* *** ****** needing ** **** $** ** ****** by *** ****** **** ** **** their ******, ******* ******* ** **** $30 ** ****** *******...
* **** *** *** *** ***** for * ******** ** ********* *****. Seems **** * ********* ******** ** getting **** **** * ********.
**** *** **** ** **** *** distances ** ******* **** *****?
***** ****,
** ** ** *********** ****** *** sure. **** *** **** **'-**' **** away ** ******* ***** ** **********.
**-** ** * ****** **** *****, but ***** ********* **** **** **** of *****, ** **** *** * good **** ** **** ***** ******** behavior.
*** **** ************, ** ***'* ***** the **** ********** ***** ****. ** you *** *** *** ***** ***** to **-** ****, ** ***** **** recommended ***** ******* *** ****** ******* that ** *** ** **** *** our ****** **** ******* **** ***** your ****. ** *** *** **** 75 ****, ** ***** **** *********** 4K *****.
** *** ** *** *** ******** dictate **** ******** ** *******, ***** still ******** ** ** * *** that ** ********** ** *** ****** of ********* *********.
** *** ** ****** ****** **** way ** **** *** **** **** intimidating ** *** *****, **** **** call **. **** ****** ***** **** overwhelmed ** *** *** ******* *** confusing ***********.
**** ***'* ** *** **** *****'* always ***** ** ******* ****** ****. "Website *******" *** *** **** *********** with ********* ******** **** "********* *******." Our ******* ******** *** **** ******* and *** * **** **** **** tech-heavy, *** *******.
....********** ******** *** ***, *** *** kit **** **** ******** ******** (*) 60' ***** ***-********** ******.
******** **** **** ** ******* **** make ** ** ****** ******** ;)
****** *** ******** *** *******************.***
** ********** **** ******.
-******************* ****.
****** *** *** ****'* ***** ** Axis ********* ***...***** **** ********* **** under *** $** **** *** ***** for ****. ***** **** **** ****** don't **** *** ** ******* ** that ******.
*** ********* **** ***. ** **** a **** **** **-***** ********* *** on *** *******?
** ** ** ** ******** ** how *** *** *** **********?
**-***** ********* **** *** **** * common ******/*****-***** ******** *** ****, **** years.
**** **, ** ******, ********* **** larger ****** ***** ******** (*** **, 40, ** *******) *** *** * cameras *** **** ****** ****** ** clearly **********, ***** *** ********** ** setup *** ***-**** ** *** *****.
*****, ******* ****! **** ***!
****, **** ******** ** **** *** Nelly's, **** ** ***** ** *** me **** **...