On October 9th, DJI launched a limited-time promotion spanning multiple popular products, offering discounts of up to 900 yuan. This surprising move quickly sparked discussions on social media but also triggered collective complaints from consumers who felt frustrated by the “buying right before price drops” situation.
Analysts believe that from the Pocket 3 handheld camera to the Action 4 sports camera, DJI’s “preheating for Singles’ Day” not only exposed the gap in online and offline channel policies but also reflected the fierce competition in the consumer-grade imaging equipment market. DJI is facing a double squeeze from professional competitors, smartphone giants, and the pressure from the United States. This price reduction may be their strategy to gain market share and kick off another round of intense competition.
In the early hours of October 9, DJI’s official store and several e-commerce platforms simultaneously launched promotion posters: the Osmo Pocket 3 standard version was discounted by 700 yuan, from 3499 yuan to 2799 yuan; the all-in-one set was reduced by up to 900 yuan, from 4499 yuan to 3599 yuan; and the Action 4 sports camera saw a maximum discount of 949.8 yuan, with the outdoor power source Power 1000 V2 dropping by 900 yuan.
The promotion will run until midnight on October 14, positioned as a “Singles’ Day pre-sale,” covering over ten products including handheld cameras, sports cameras, and drones.
Shenzhen DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd.), known as DJI, is a technology company primarily focused on producing and researching civilian drones, aerial photography equipment, optical systems, and vehicle components.
For many consumers, this promotion brought mixed feelings. According to a report from Phoenix Finance, on October 5, a consumer named Meng Tao bought a Pocket 3 set for 3519 yuan at a Sam’s Club, only to see the price drop to 2859 yuan after the announcement. Similar situations have been reported by others, leading to complaints from customers who feel they have been unfairly treated.
In response to the uproar, DJI stated that their offline stores and online platforms offer various forms of discounts based on different promotional activities and schedules, leading to differences in pricing strategies across channels. They emphasized that this promotion was part of the Singles’ Day routine to help consumers plan their purchases in advance.
Sam’s Club responded on October 10, offering a “special compensation plan” for customers who purchased DJI products from October 2 to 8, allowing them to claim benefits before October 31 to ensure their rights are protected.
DJI’s decision to trigger a significant price reduction ahead of new product launches might be a strategic move to clear out old inventory and expand its user base. The company’s market share has been declining in the global smart imaging equipment market, faced with strong competition from rivals like Insta360 and potential threats from smartphone companies like OPPO and vivo entering the imaging equipment sector.
With the market becoming more crowded and competitive, the price reduction is just the beginning of a broader trend. The future of the consumer imaging market will be shaped by how companies navigate this increasingly competitive landscape.