67% Price increase

[Rudi8809]

I received a mail today stating that the price for my service plan will increase from ZAR152 to ZAR254. This constitutes a 67% increase which is quite excessive. I also failed to see meaningful upgrades that makes live easier and safer implemented to the service over the last year, and for me, to increase the price with such an amount is quite distasteful. Having invested in a product and having measured all the costs involved, only to have it changed drastically after a year or two leaves me disappointed with Arlo

[JamesC]

The team is working on releasing annual plans that will allow users to subscribe to Arlo Secure plans at no cost increase. More information to come on these plans that should be available starting February 3rd. You can read more here: https://www.arlo.com/en-us/arlosecure.html

JamesC

[Yoshi55]

I bought my Arlo door bell cam as at the time as it was a good deal. However, here comes a price increase which I am sure like most of companies will continue and continue until I am forced to buy another product. I also continue to read new polices where it appears that Arlo is ONLY concerned about making money by forcing people to buy new equipment, raising prices for required plans, etc. I will be looking at other possible solutions for my door bell camera. I am just upset and disappointed by Arlo and will never buy another Arlo product. 

[Wtpsyche]

As a customer for several years, I registered for a Community account just now to come here to say exactly the same thing.

I'm a reasonable guy who doesn't get bent out of shape over most small things. But no matter how you spin it ("some customers will experience a minimal price change"), or that the price has been the same since 2014, a 67% subscription increase to justify features that many current customers can't take advantage of is blinding hubris. Please take a few deep breaths, hydrate, and take a short power nap, and remember that retaining the loyalty of your existing customer base should be written on the top of each of your whiteboards, not crossed out.

[Chrpel]

I got a similar price hike. I'm out of here... The best way to stop these kind of price increases (whatever they blame it on) is to vote with your feet. There are MANY other alternatives. My cameras are also getting old so time for an upgrade anyway.  Anyone know if the cameras can be used with any other provider?

I will be charged 17.99 per month after the latest price hike. Ridiculous. The cost for Arlo is to keep a cloud platform that can store my videos. The cost for that might be a few cents. 

[Michael1153]

Could not agree more with your assessment. Also, as stated by another post within this thread, it can be rationally assumed, we are all reasonable people who have dealt with the shortcomings of this system, their price gouging and basic treatment of their customer base.

Much like other companies such as Ebay, Youtube, Google, Instagram..(the list is long) a small concentrated but loyal base, supported these companies because at one time, they upheld value to the "customer" and thus, they flourished.

As time went on, the temperature began to rise for the frogs in the pot and some of us seen what was coming while others simply sat back and claimed the rest of us were being paraonid, conspiratorial or even overdramatic.

Do any of you remember any of my above examples and what they were lets say, 10 years ago and what they are now? If you do, then you get my point. 

I am replacing my entire system at this point because I will not be nickel and dimed anymore after investing so much money and time into it. Especially for a system that has degraded so much (such as the doorbell lag) and not actually brought forth any "improvements" to even the newest cameras I already have. 

"Human detected" - no.....thats a car.....

"Vehicle detected" - no, thats somebody walking their dog

"vehicle detected" - Why are you detecting somebody bringing out their garbage can outside of the range I set?

"Doorbell rings" - "................................................................................................................buffering................................................"

[JamesC]

The team is working on releasing annual plans that will allow users to subscribe to Arlo Secure plans at no cost increase. More information to come on these plans that should be available starting February 3rd. You can read more here: https://www.arlo.com/en-us/arlosecure.html

JamesC

[Michael1153]

No thanks.

This model of price gouging is nothing more than the same despicable premise as streaming services use. They all provide the same crappy content with or without ads.

When you take that plunge and subscribe for "no ads" at an inflated cost because the whole reason you "cut the cord" and paid for a subscription streaming service to begin with was to get away from ads, you simply receive less ads.

 However, if you "upgrade" yet to another plan (that is, after the 50th privacy notice update to commodore more of your personal data) which guarantees no ads at higher cost then originally insinuated, then the ads truly will be gone. That is until you have to upgrade once again at even a higher rate because they are improving their services.

Those who are reading this know exactly what companies I am talking about, so you are no different at this point. The services you offer and costs to justify those price increases, has already been used many times before and frankly, to be blunt honest, I have only seen degradation and worsening effects in all of my Arlo equipment. (which I mentioned briefly in my first post)

My guess is this all has to do with something with this: https://stockanalysis.com/stocks/arlo/forecast/

than any supposed "improvement"

Right after I posted my first reply, I went to your competition and spent $1,300.00 to replace your entire system. 

One thing you guys should learn about business, is that for most of us, it is not about the money. It is the principle. 

Tell your shareholders I said Hi. 

[DavidSmith1]

Agreed. I feel completely duped by Arlo. I've spent thousands of dollars on their products already. Now they're increasing the prices for monthly subscriptions even more?! The batteries don't even hold their charge, and my floodlight camera won't even charge past 24% regularly and won't charge even although it's hardwired. Just garbage products, garbage service, and a garbage price gouge. Very frustrated. 

[Michael1153]

1. All of my cams, other than the hardwired doorbell, stopped working because of the cold. Awesome.
2. Batteries have been junk since day one, and there is no such thing as a 6 month battery in these things. Lucky if you get one solid month out of them and that is no lie or exaggeration. 
3. Add a solar panel you say? Already did. Both of my front cameras have them and after about a month of successful charging, the app tells you that the solar panel is unsupported and of course, the battery is in the red and almost dead. More awesomeness.
4. Doorbell lag is beyond any point of measured acceptance.  Every "update" they have provided, has made the situation worse so much so, that what used to be at least 30 seconds of lag has simply become time outs. 
5. Lied about the base station USB storage being accessible after a few updates. Made sure you used the cloud for their "improvements"
6. Zone parameters set are a joke. 
7. Identification process of objects that set off camera are always misidentified.
8. Pricing has been going up since the original release of this product. Reminds me of another company who sold their cameras very cheap in a popular hardware store in which your videos were stored on a Micro-SSD card, access via the app and everything was live time and working perfectly.... and then suddenly, they decided you had to upgrade to their cloud service because of "improvements". This one is personal because I recommended them to a friend of mine who really needed this on her house and did not want to pay for security cams. (Meaning, she did not want to "Brinx" or "Comcast" her house for exorbitant fees. 
9. Customer service is crap. We see it on these forums all the time with the same tired answers with no solutions. I chuckle when I hear about network when I myself, am in networking and IT. Tell me more how your product cant connect for crap to your own base station again, fling that data to your server and back to my phone without telling me it could not be all done locally again?
10. Product price and quality. Seriously....My overpriced 2K 360 overhead Floodlight camera cannot stream live, buffers, stutters and constantly is lagging behind and regardless of where I set the "Zone", the lights always keeps coming on. The neighbors joke they cannot even walk on the other side of the street without setting it off eventhough the zone is set for my driveway. 

Total investment in my system hardware (not counting this stupid subscription): $2,300.00 

Total investment in my new system: $1,300.00

[g-ae]

My service is indeed going up by almost 67%!

Don't tell me inflation is creating strain. There is no amount of justification for a 67% price increase!

Very displeased with Arlo at the moment. It will likely make me rethink my long term strategy for security systems.

Treating your customers as cash cow is not a good customer service strategy...

[Michael1153]

I scrapped my Arlo whole system and upgraded to full product line and then some, from that same competitor, and scrapped two systems in the process. 

With much due credit, Arlo should receive some praise in all of this.

• They forced me to research a long range of competitors who offer far superior systems with every option and privacy staple we all expect without any ties to cloud services in any way/shape or form that cost the consumer. 
• They forced me to unmount every camera, deactivate their base station and cancel their subscription which are all nicely packed in a box ready for anybody who wants to buy them from me. Just PM if you wish to pick up a few older cams, base station and one overpriced flood light with solar charger included. 
• They forced me also to re-evaluate the garbage dump that is Nest/Google, and I removed that entire system and replaced it with the same company that sold me their high end/quality/option camera system. My entire house security is now active with one company and no subscriptions. (The option is there, but the entire system works with all of the technology that Arlo charges exorbitant amounts for, right there in their base station or within the cameras themselves with far more superior features)
• They forced me to realize that cameras in cold will actually function, as long as they are not manufactured by Arlo.
• They forced me to realize that camera sensitivity, range settings, clarity, full AI human/pet/auto/package recognition and microsecond network speed and 4k streaming, can be achieved as long as it is not an Arlo product.
• They forced me to realize, that as a grown adult, I can make changes that are of great expense to me without recourse or regret, due to principle alone.
• They forced me as an grown adult, to stay with my core morals and strong beliefs, that I will not be bullied, pushed around, intimidated, used and abused or thrown over a barrel because of another price hike excuse. (there are so many price hikes throughout the years without nothing but significant performance and quality loss that they should be ashamed to even charge somebody at this point.

Most of can assume why this all happened, and can guess it started with their shareholders or the morons in the boardroom with big ideas of massive profit.

"We most definitely can raise the prices (again) because the consumer has already invested so much money, time and effort into their systems that they will hesitantly agree - after all, the effort, time and money, to replace their system is simply too overwhelming for the average consumer so.... $14.00 a month or $1,300.00 to replace the whole system with a competitor?...The choice is simple right?"

It was simple.

The only complicated part was finding a box big enough to package my entire Arlo and Nest system in.

[RegularJoe]

What brand of camera system did you buy?

[Michael1153]

Sending you a PM

[srandall25]

Under Arlo Smart Premier - Single Camera (2) plan, I paid $6 a month. This month, Arlo raised this rate to $10 a month. For those people already paying $10 per month, they're able to keep this rate by signing up for annual billing; however, for those under the legacy plan, and only needed two cameras (not unlimited) you're now going to have to pay 40% more than perviously. To raise a subscriber's rates by 40% overnight seems a little ridiculous. Arlo is basically charging us legacy folks, the same price for unlimited multi cameras and effectively moving us to the new tier service without our permission. There is really no reason for me not to switch to Arlo Secure unlimited since I'm already paying the same price after the 40% rate hike. This is bad customer service in my opinion and not the proper way to treat long time subscribers of Arlo. Anyone else in this same boat?

[DON427]

I am pretty annoyed also. I get prices rise but this is a pretty steep hill. Im looking at other systems as I am looking to add to mine anyway.

[DON427]

Arlo doesn't even capture the motion in the viewing field...and now nearly doubles the price and no better detection. its a money grab that isn't worth it. 

[Michael1153]

Simple advice to you all as a former Arlo supporter:

• I still have had no takers on my Arlo leftovers after removing everything Arlo and Nest related, to a whole new company system while adding even more goodies to my home protection in the process.
• Any of you questioning the pros and cons of swapping out your system due to this bs pricing gouge, don't. Make the conscious decision to upgrade your entire system. The longer you hesitate, the more you pay Arlo and at the end of the year, you could have used that money instead toward something immensely better.
• Weigh the competition's offerings, technology, customer service, product ratings, warranty, privacy, app, network speed, clarity, security, functionality and optional pricing, to what Arlo is pulling with substandard product, and you will be horrified to know how much money and time you have truly wasted supporting a company that could are less about you.
• Ask yourself, why continue making up excuses to use a system that essentially is penalizing you the customer, by forcing "end of life" legacy cams, doorbells or probably very soon, their overpriced spotlight and solar panels that are substandard to the competition in every regard?
• Since I have been asked what company I switched to multiple times, the company I swapped my Alro system for, starts with an "E".  They cover all of the bases right down to a steam mop.

The ONLY regret I have is not switching over sooner, so again, I thank Arlo's unsubstantiated greed for showing me the light and hopefully some of you make that decision based on those of us who are fed up with Arlo.

If not, and you wish to punish yourself some more, I have my Arlo leftovers still for sale. 

[MtkaBoat]

Cancelled my subscription today. Have been a long time multicamera user but tired of cost increases.  Ring here I come

[RegularJoe]

I'm a relative newcomer to Arlo cameras, about 6 months~maybe.  I have soooo much money invested in these cameras...north of $800... I'm not going to abandon what it's took me soooo long to get working right. Mine are running smoothly...with my luck they'll speed up the "end of life" date and kill them off in 6 months, lol.

[MrBill57]

Hi, I agree with everything you posted. is your new company eu--?

[Michael1153]

Yes it is. Absolutely amazing product line and I could fill multiple posts on how awesome the switch has been.

[GSAS]

I think the price increase is ridiculous. It already was to much. I will definitely be buying a different product that doesn't charge monthly fees or has a more reasonable pricing policy. Very dissapointed  

[personname]

I think this price increase is particularly scandalous, given their penchant for end-of-lifing their products & services (free cloud cameras, base station, etc).  They are clearly all about bilking customers *aggressively* for increased revenues.  I'm researching new systems like everyone else here.