Is it worth buying grey market or Chinese version of Hikvision cameras?

[john-ipvm]

I noticed many people commenting have bought grey market / Chinese Hikvision cameras and then fixed / switched them to English versions. How much do you save in purchase price? After factoring in time to deal with changing and lack of support, how much do you really make or benefit?

It seems like a hassle but maybe the savings are really that great. Can anyone share any experiences or details here? Thanks.

 

[spyfly81]

No just buy from LTS or Nelly's, the time you spend hacking the firmware is not worth the money you save, it used to be but not any more.

 

[misslehead3]

I am currently dealing with the worst case scenario. I have 40 cameras up and running and am struggling to get a feature working. There is no support for these cameras by the company because China sends you to US and the US tell you to kick rocks because they are Chinese cameras. Never again will I buy non US cameras, regardless of savings. You also cant ugrade the firmware because it will revert the camera back to its origonal language, which would be Chinese in this case.

As for price savings the difference in AliExpress compared to @milkisbad is marginal from what I am seeing. I just wish I knew about him before getting the cameras elsewhere.

 

[fenderman]

China cams were a great buy and 50 percent cheaper two years ago. Regular folks could simply not purchase from ADI or other distributors. So it was the only choice for many. Now that there are several vendors who sell US region cameras and the price has dropped, it makes more sense to just buy locally...with the exception of our members outside the US who are still gouged on these cameras...specialty models like the hikvision pinhole cameras are not carried locally or the price is inflated, so going to china makes sense there as well.

 

[gpower07]

and now most of the Chinese cameras are 50Hz only.

 

[fenderman]

and now most of the Chinese cameras are 50Hz only.

That is only the case with cameras that are have specific china region model numbers...

 

[Fruit]

I would just buy from Nelly's instead of Aliexpress . My walmart order for a Nutri-Ninja with free shipping still haven't arrived yet (ordered on 12/5, ETA was 12/15, today just updated to 12/21...), you really do get what you paid for.

Speaking of walmart, why do they have 16 cash registers ...i have never seen more than 5 of them with a cashier even during busy hours!

Made a mistake tonight trying to return a $20 pair of pants, spent 2 hours navigating through the packed mall, looking for a space, almost got hit by other cars. In hindsight i should have just returned it by mail (since i got it online) but they were going to refund me only $13 and keep $7 for the return shipping. but now after that ordeal i feel the $7 is not worth me going to the mall and risking accidents.

Besides if i buy from Nelly's, i can feel good a portion of my money is going back to the US economy.

 

[gpower07]

That is only the case with cameras that are have specific china region model numbers...

I think only USA is 60Hz...

 

[whoslooking]

The prices have started to slowly drop here in the UK, ADI are now reducing the prices ds-2032 now £68+vat =£81.60 or $115 but still 30% higher than AE and the ADI is a trade price, so for people in the UK it's still very much worth it to buy from AE, remembering that the seller on AE is still making a profit and shipping it too.
Shame HIKVISION treat the UK as a cash cow.

It doesn't really matter about using 50hz or 60hz these days as most equipment handles both frequencies without problems.

 

[Enabler]

The prices have started to slowly drop here in the UK, ADI are now reducing the prices ds-2032 now £68+vat =£81.60 or $115 but still 30% higher than AE and the ADI is a trade price, so for people in the UK it's still very much worth it to buy from AE, remembering that the seller on AE is still making a profit and shipping it too.
Shame HIKVISION treat the UK as a cash cow.

It doesn't really matter about using 50hz or 60hz these days as most equipment handles both frequencies without problems.

Agreed. AE is worth it for me, but I'd say it depends on what you're buying and what their intended purpose is. If you want the added safety and happy to pay extra (maybe not much extra if low end camera) then AE is not for you.

I however have never had a problem.

 

[whoslooking]

I have brought about 100 Hik 2 line camera's from AE over the last few years, only 2 have failed, both were water damaged IR rings and both repaired at board level.
So not sure why the heavy over charging for UK warranty is unjustified.

 

[zero-degrees]

I believe a lot of people purchase from AE because they simply don't know any better - or are in a country outside the US where options are still very limited because of import duties. Many also have misconceptions about how HIK works and believe that because it does't say HIKVision on the mud ring then it isn't HIK. When you can pick up "most" cameras here stateside in private label form with warranty for only around $10 more per camera I don't understand why going with a china region camera. Regardless of the past "positive" experiences, why? Most likely a 10 savings and a few weeks wait time really isn't "worth" saving that $10. Maybe because I don't live in poverty I don't overly worry about $10, but then again I don't believe anyone buying IPCameras lives in "poverty" so... Some of it is also I think people are afraid of change - if they have gotten comfortable with china region cameras and AE they feel they have no reason to change - thats also fine. Bottom line - to each there own and most users that select one over the other have plenty of reasons for it and those reasons don't make to much sense to the other side

 

[whoslooking]

That's seems to be the case state side, shame we don't have it that way here. In fact the opposite the private label brands like Trendnet are even more expensive than the HIK branded. For the sake of $10
It's a no brainer for you guys.

 

[Q™]

Here is my two cents.

1) One might by Aliexpress Chinese region cameras and they may provide the image that one is looking for. In this instance the initial image is set on the cameras, and it is never touched again. This may be a very good deal if the user never needs to upgrade firmware, and the price which is paid is a significant savings.

2) Alternatively, there may be a problem with one (or more) of the Chinese region camera functions which can be remedied only by way of the firm where upgrade…or Hikvision may add additional features which are enabled only by way of a firmware upgrade. In this scenario the user is taking a risk that firmware for their camera(s) may not be available, or may brick their camera.

 

[Fruit]

I believe a lot of people purchase from AE because they simply don't know any better - or are in a country outside the US where options are still very limited because of import duties. Many also have misconceptions about how HIK works and believe that because it does't say HIKVision on the mud ring then it isn't HIK. When you can pick up "most" cameras here stateside in private label form with warranty for only around $10 more per camera I don't understand why going with a china region camera. Regardless of the past "positive" experiences, why? Most likely a 10 savings and a few weeks wait time really isn't "worth" saving that $10. Maybe because I don't live in poverty I don't overly worry about $10, but then again I don't believe anyone buying IPCameras lives in "poverty" so... Some of it is also I think people are afraid of change - if they have gotten comfortable with china region cameras and AE they feel they have no reason to change - thats also fine. Bottom line - to each there own and most users that select one over the other have plenty of reasons for it and those reasons don't make to much sense to the other side

All good things must end though, there are people trying very hard to cut off this source, don't know how much longer you can get a private label, US region camera for such little markup.

Loose lips sink ships.

 

[zero-degrees]

All good things must end though, there are people trying very hard to cut off this source, don't know how much longer you can get a private label, US region camera for such little markup.

Loose lips sink ships.

Please elaborate your?! "Loose Lips Sink Ships" comment...

I don't know that you understand what is occuring here and how it occures - there is NO ship that is going to be sunk...

Also "who" is trying to cut off this source - most source cut offs are manufactures trying to cut off resell of non region cameras on AE, NOT on licensed sellers selling correct region cameras in the proper region.

 

[Warsaws]

Please elaborate your?! "Loose Lips Sink Ships" comment...

I don't know that you understand what is occuring here and how it occures - there is NO ship that is going to be sunk...

Where can I buy these "private label US version"? Thank you.

 

[whoslooking]

For a long time I think, these guys buy huge amounts, the bottom line is quarterly sales, not a small grey market sales.
There is more one than one private label company after all.

 

[zero-degrees]

Where can I buy these "private label US version"? Thank you.

Spend 10 min moving around this forum - you will quickly locate your needed info

 

[Warsaws]

Spend 10 min moving around this forum - you will quickly locate your needed info

I'll assume this means Milk is Bad