Police and detectives using surveillance cameras to bust the bad guys is a fairly common scene on TV and in the movies — but plenty of people use surveillance or security cameras to keep their homes, families and businesses safe and secure in real life, too.
Security cameras help you keep a watchful eye over your business when you are not around. If you are worried about leaving your kids alone with the baby sitter, a security camera will help you keep an eye on things. If you’re going on a long vacation with no one to watch over your house, fear not: The security camera can do the job for you!
Although many of us live in fairly safe neighborhoods and work with relatively honest people, it’s that added sense of security that sells these surveillance cameras to consumers like you and I. This can be your selling point when you add security cameras to your online stores, too!
But first, join us as we do some detective work and learn more about the market for security cameras using our very own Market Research Lab.
Types of security cameras
There is a security camera for virtually any situation but let’s take a look at the 5 most common ones here. It’s important to consider the cost, the features and the possible security needs of your clientele if you’re going to make a go of selling these sorts of products.
Bullet Camera
A bullet camera is usually rectangular or cylindrical in shape and can be fixed to a wall using a mounting arm. These are highly visible and offer little to no remote movement or zoom. Instead, you have to manually adjust them to get the view you wish to see. These are good deterrents for small businesses and offices/reception areas.
Dome Camera
As the name suggests, these cameras are dome shaped. Like the bullet cameras, they are highly visible but are a bit harder to damage because the actual camera has a dome shaped cover. These can be used both indoors and out. Some also come with special features, such as motion detection, or use infra-red technology to offer better security at night.
Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) Camera
These models are Ideal for bigger spaces like warehouses, as they offer wider coverage. Not ideal for residential use, as they are bulky. This camera is mounted on a pole or bracket with a dedicated rail so it can zoom across to places where there may be suspicious activity. This type of camera has the ability to pan and tilt to get a better look at what’s happening.
Spy Camera
Also know as hidden cameras, these design are small and very compact. Because of the size, the picture quality is often not as clear. The main benefit of a spy camera is it cannot be seen. Be sure to use this type of camera only for legal, legitimate purposes, otherwise be ready to face serious legal implications.
Simulated Dummy Camera
It looks and acts just like the real thing. These “cameras” come in just about any design — dome, bullet and even PTZ. It shows a flashing red LED light as though it is detecting motion and it’ll even simulate zooming function. This is a very inexpensive way of deterring burglars from attempting to go into your businesses and homes.
Did you know that spy cameras, also known as hidden cameras, were featured as profitable niche on a previous Monday Market of the Week? Learn more about this sub-niche here.
Why sell security cameras?
Performance on eBay and Amazon
SaleHoo’s very own Market Research Lab can show us just why it’s a good idea to start selling security cameras. Let’s scrutinize the sell rate, competition, and average selling price of the security cameras featured by our lab.
High sell rate
What’s a sell rate? It’s the percentage of total units sold compared against the total number of listings. You should look for products that have a high sell rate, since it means that your product has a strong demand and customers want to buy it. A steady stream of buyers is what we all need to succeed!
You want to set your threshold for a 50% sell rate, which indicates that half of all the listed items are making sales. You can go as low as 40% (especially if you have some complementary products or bundles that are solid sellers) but overall, the higher the number the better.
High average selling price
This week’s niche has a relatively high average selling price ranging from $205 to $570 for these specific models. Gain a competitive advantage over other sellers by buying in bulk instead of dropshipping. Remember that when you buy in bulk you get lower prices per unit, thus increasing your profit margins.
Be sure to contact your wholesaler directly to negotiate the best possible wholesale prices for your bulk order of security cameras.
Low competition
Why go through all the trouble of selling something everyone is already offering, when you have a low-competition niche right here? Always check the market you will be selling in — ideally it should be low competition with high demand! This is one of the magic formulas to any successful retail niche.
General demand
How well your listing will fare depends directly on the quality AND the quality of traffic you bring in. Keyword research is on sure way to drive interested customers to your listings. Below are some of the top keywords we found when we ran a keyword research using our the AffiloTools Keyword Research tool.
Notice that “hidden security cameras” has the highest search volume, followed by “hidden spy cameras.” These are the keywords you can use for your listing titles and descriptions, but there’s another purpose, too: choosing the specific type of security cameras to stock in your store.
Extra bonuses
The amount of time a potential customer spends browsing through your store may depend directly on how large a selection of products you have. You can persuade customers to stay longer if you have complementary products to offer, such as USB cards and flash drives to store footage from the security cameras can be stored, or viewing monitors, mounts, cables, etc. You can sell these as a bundle and offering a bigger discount on the overall cost, or sell them as separate accessories and offer free or discounted shipping when purchased all together.
Summary
We all have that innate need to feel safe and secure, whether it be in our homes or offices. As the technology becomes more advanced and easier to implement, the market for security cameras will continue to grow bigger. Now is the time to take advantage of this in-demand product niche!
With the help of our research lab and AffiloTools, we have done most of the research work for you. Now it’s your turn to put that research to good use and start selling competitively!
How to Sell Security Cameras
Here are some options to help you decide on where to sell your security cameras:
1. eBay or Amazon
If you’re new to selling online, both of these major marketplaces are great as your selling starting point. Selling on eBay and Amazon gives you the chance to get your feet wet without too much of a risk.
I did a quick search and found that there are 94,415 listings for security cameras on eBay, and another 171,481 listings on Amazon. Take a deep breath! There’s no need to panic and start second-guessing this week’s niche. Yes, the number seem large, but we’ve got some great tips you can use to stay a step ahead of other sellers:
Always no.1 on my list is free shipping! Customers absolutely love a freebie, especially free shipping, so try to offer it wherever feasible (you can add the cost of shipping into your list price).
Be sure to optimize your listing title, always check your spelling (your product titles have to be spelled correctly at all times!) and ensure you’re using the best keywords for your customer base.
We’ve got a quick guide here to help you encourage repeat sales. Follow these steps, then rinse and repeat to keep your customers coming back for more!
2. Your own online store
If you’re sick of all the rules and policies, not to mention the long list of fees, then you should start selling through your own online store. That way your, sales are all yours: no fees to pay, no policies to watch out for. You can sell anyway you want and your earning potential is unlimited.
While you’re enjoying the freedom from fees and countless policies, you also need to be ready to face the challenges that come with running your own store — challenges such has driving traffic to your online store and listings. Your focus should be on both quantity and quality (there’s no point in getting people to your store if they have no interest in what you’re selling, after all). You need to be able to advertise and let potential buyers out there know that you have a store and that your store is offering great deals. And how do you do that? No fear, we have some helpful tips already written out for you! Check them out here.
3. Local Bazaars and Flea Markets
Selling locally lets you showcase your products to your would-be customers face to face. For most customers the “to see is to believe” factor plays a vital role, especially when buying something electronic. Study your products’ brochures so you can impress your customers with your knowledge of each product’s features!
How To Spy On The Local Competition
Trusted security camera suppliers
If you’d like to try your hand at selling security cameras, check out these trusted suppliers:
Security camera supplier #1
This supplier is a privately-owned Canadian company serving Ontario businesses and residents since 1994. They provide security services for homeowners and businesses. Their primary focus is on customer service.
Large Product Range: Wired security, wireless security, video surveillance, 24-hour monitoring, intercom systems, access control, security gates, medical alarms
Dropship fee: Does not currently offer dropshipping.
Security camera supplier #2
This supplier is the world’s best source for wholesale security products, safety products, spy products and electronic gadgets. They accept major credit cards, cashier’s checks or money orders, wire transfers, and Western Union as forms of payment. Custom websites, wholesale purchasing, and dropshipping are available. The dropship charge is $2.50 for US orders, and $5 for international orders (regardless of the number of items purchased).
Large Product Range: Security products, pepper spray, metal batons, stun guns, alarms, chimes, car security alarms, counterfeit detectors, CCTV cameras, dummy cameras, diversion safes, key hiders, timers, dog control, safety lights, flash lights, automotive safety products, flares, emergency flashing triangle, safety baton, fire safety equipment, child safety products, spy DVRs, spy Cameras, spy Sunglasses, voice changers, invisible ink, electronic gadgets, radios, batteries, recording devices.
Wholesale and Dropship: Both options are available. Wholesale orders must be a minimum of $100 or a $25 small order fee will be applied.
Security camera supplier #3
This supplier is a leading US distributor of low-voltage alarm and security products. They offer a full line of CCTV, access control, intrusion, sound, fire, home automation, and cable products. The company sells strictly to security and technology professionals throughout the Unites States.
You have to create a dealer’s account with this supplier to view their stock and prices. You must be a legitimate dealer/business with a reseller’s tax ID to open a dealer account. They accept major credit cards and offer a line of credit for all US orders. For international orders, you must contact the sales department and make advance payments for your orders via wire transfer or check.
Wholesale and Dropship: Both options are available. Dropship orders have a $75 minimum order amount.
Security camera supplier #4
This supplier is one of the leading companies in design, product development, production and marketing of a wide range of CCTV products and security systems. They accept wire transfers, money orders, Western Union, and PayPal as forms of payment. They can ship worldwide.
Large Product Range: Security cameras, wireless cameras, dome cameras, box cameras, IR cameras, IP cameras, bullet cameras, car cameras, truck cameras, hidden cameras, mini cameras, wireless cameras, wireless transmitters and receivers, video processors, alarms, access control & electromagnetic locks, DVR cards, standalone DVRs, USB DVRs, switchers & controllers, alarm access control & locks, accessories, enclosures, brackets, video baluns, signal converters, video ground loops, BNC, camera lenses.
Wholesale and Dropship: This supplier only accepts wholesale orders at this time, but international shipping is available.
See you next Monday!
Disclaimer: The information published here is strictly for informational purposes. All above product items are only suggestions for possible products which will sell favorably, and should be used as a guide only. At the time of writing, all above products were researched using methods recommend by SaleHoo and found to be potentially profitable for sellers. All sellers are encouraged to conduct their own market and product research.
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