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On Monday, the security software giant raised the prices Norton users pay for another year of updates to their installed products by as much as 33 percent. The updates include traditional virus signatures and product enhancements, which are a new feature and part of Symantec's move to a subscription model.
Cupertino, Calif.-based Symantec announced the 2006 editions of its Norton products last month. The company at the time published prices for new users of the products: Norton AntiVirus, Norton Internet Security, Norton System Works and Norton Personal Firewall. At the time, it did not disclose pricing for existing users signing up for another year of updates. It activated the higher prices on Monday, a company representative said.
Price rises
People who use Norton consumer security software will have to pay more for another year of updates.
| Product | Old | New | |
| Norton AntiVirus |
$24.95 | $29.99 | |
| Norton Internet Security |
$29.99 | $39.99 | |
| Norton System Works |
$24.95 | $29.99 | |
| Norton Personal Firewall |
$14.95 | $19.99 | |
| Source: Symantec | |||
The price hike could be seen as a "last hurrah" before Microsoft enters the security arena next year, analysts at Merrill Lynch wrote in a research note this week. The move could alternatively be "a decisive refusal to be intimidated by a pending market entry," the analysts wrote.
As Symantec has 40 million subscribers, the price rise could add as much as $250 million to the company's revenue in its next fiscal year, according to the Merrill Lynch note.
The price increase is not typical of the competitive consumer security software market, Forrester Research analyst Maribel Lopez said. "The trend has always been downward. Consumers would expect pricing to be flat or down," she said. Nevertheless, people often don't notice prices when renewing their product, Lopez said.
Microsoft's entry into the market is looming like dark clouds in the distance, she added. "The biggest issue is going to be whether or not the bottom drops out of the market when Microsoft enters," she said. "Symantec is bringing in the money while the getting is good."
Microsoft is readying products to protect computers against worms, viruses, spyware and other threats. Windows OneCare, its consumer antivirus and anti-spyware service, has been available to beta testers since July. The software maker last week said a test version of a product to protect business computers would be available by year's end.
Symantec's price shift is unrelated to the prospect of competition from Microsoft, said Laura Garcia-Manrique, a senior director of product management at the security company. The changes reflect that customers now get software enhancements in addition to virus signatures, she said. Previously the product updates were sold separately.
"We've taken a number of actions, including the increase of our subscription prices...to facilitate our move to a subscription model," Garcia-Manrique said. Symantec has also cut the upfront price of Norton AntiVirus by $10, she noted.
"This move on our part is the right move for the market. If Microsoft's actions in some way change that, then we will have to look at what direction the market goes," Garcia-Manrique said. Symantec CEO John Thompson on Tuesday predicted his company will beat Microsoft in the security space.
Some of Symantec's rivals could see the price hike as an opportunity to win new customers. Computer Associates, for example, charges $29.99 to renew its Internet Security Suite--a price that includes product updates, a CA representative said. That compares with $39.99 to renew the Norton Internet Security suite.
At Trend Micro, renewing its PC-cillin Internet Security costs $24.95. The company expects to win some Symantec customers to switch. "There is a disjoint between the consumer expectation and the shift Symantec has made in their pricing," said Lane Bass, general manager of consumer products at Trend Micro.
Raising prices could alienate some customers, Patrick Hinojosa, chief technology officer at security provider Panda Software said. "It does not seem like a good idea to reward customers who used your product for at least a year."
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Norton Co.,
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Norton Internet Security,
antivirus
I will stick with PC-Cillin, at least it doesn't fight with other software and slow you system down.
Robert
I will stick with PC-Cillin, at least it doesn't fight with other software and slow you system down.
Robert
at about 10x the rate of inflation for the past
several years. I remember when it cost $9.95 to
renew NAV for a year. But $29.95!?! Give me a
break.
When you think about it, you pay more to Symantec
than you do to Microsoft.
I for one will be one of the first on board with
Microsoft's offering. I'm also going to check out
ClamAV and some of the free/less expensive
products.
hog.
http://www.free-av.com/ is even better and not much of a
system hog at all.
both do much better jobs of catching things that norton dosent
even notice.
This implies that the firm is still seeking to hold its long term customers like me, who have been with the "Norton" products for say 15 years or more.
The pricing rejig at 30% more is actually a GOOD DEAL because you no longer have to shell out $70-$100 Cdn in Canada for a new NIS version every two years or so.
I think Symantec is just trying to adjust to MS's likely model.
Here in Canada MS seems to be offering Web-based Outlook and a similar all-MSN email package on the Web for about $129-$169 Cdn a year. So I would guess MS OneCare is gonna follow that pricing. Sure, there will be a little Web space included for backups, but Symantec's product I predict will look well-priced in comparison to One[big price]Care.
Good going Symantec!
at about 10x the rate of inflation for the past
several years. I remember when it cost $9.95 to
renew NAV for a year. But $29.95!?! Give me a
break.
When you think about it, you pay more to Symantec
than you do to Microsoft.
I for one will be one of the first on board with
Microsoft's offering. I'm also going to check out
ClamAV and some of the free/less expensive
products.
hog.
http://www.free-av.com/ is even better and not much of a
system hog at all.
both do much better jobs of catching things that norton dosent
even notice.
This implies that the firm is still seeking to hold its long term customers like me, who have been with the "Norton" products for say 15 years or more.
The pricing rejig at 30% more is actually a GOOD DEAL because you no longer have to shell out $70-$100 Cdn in Canada for a new NIS version every two years or so.
I think Symantec is just trying to adjust to MS's likely model.
Here in Canada MS seems to be offering Web-based Outlook and a similar all-MSN email package on the Web for about $129-$169 Cdn a year. So I would guess MS OneCare is gonna follow that pricing. Sure, there will be a little Web space included for backups, but Symantec's product I predict will look well-priced in comparison to One[big price]Care.
Good going Symantec!
Symantec couldn't find me to tell me that the product was being discontinued, but they could find me to send the wrong update files and hock me for a renewal to the wrong product. Had to track down and download a special program to uninstall NAV.
That's just the last and most outrageous incident over many years of bad experiences of one sort or another both as a home user and consultant with Norton and then Symantec products. I'm glad to say I've never paid for a Symantec product, just renewals on installed ones. Now I won't use them, period.
Symantec couldn't find me to tell me that the product was being discontinued, but they could find me to send the wrong update files and hock me for a renewal to the wrong product. Had to track down and download a special program to uninstall NAV.
That's just the last and most outrageous incident over many years of bad experiences of one sort or another both as a home user and consultant with Norton and then Symantec products. I'm glad to say I've never paid for a Symantec product, just renewals on installed ones. Now I won't use them, period.
It works a hell of alot better then Norton plus blocks more virus,torjons,spyware before they even getting a chance to hit the internet.
If I was you I would dump Norton AV & SAVE with NOD32 AV that works alot better without slowing your system down.
More Information can be found at http://nod32.com
It works a hell of alot better then Norton plus blocks more virus,torjons,spyware before they even getting a chance to hit the internet.
If I was you I would dump Norton AV & SAVE with NOD32 AV that works alot better without slowing your system down.
More Information can be found at http://nod32.com
Most of you get told that your "Subscription" has run out and have to pay $29.99+ to renew it for a year. First off, you can ALWAYS download the Virus Updates for free (http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/download/pages/US-N95.html). The thing here is that will only cover the Antivirus, but what if you need other updates. We all know that Symantec does not provide these too freely and you have to use the "Live Update" feature to get them. The cure you ask.
Set your PC Clock back one (1) year, and then run the Live Update... The bug in Norton will think you just / recently installed the software. Live Update will now function normally and get all your updates.
When done, simply set your clock / year back to the proper date.
At last if you have to use a Symantec product, this will get you by until you find something else.
Most of you get told that your "Subscription" has run out and have to pay $29.99+ to renew it for a year. First off, you can ALWAYS download the Virus Updates for free (http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/download/pages/US-N95.html). The thing here is that will only cover the Antivirus, but what if you need other updates. We all know that Symantec does not provide these too freely and you have to use the "Live Update" feature to get them. The cure you ask.
Set your PC Clock back one (1) year, and then run the Live Update... The bug in Norton will think you just / recently installed the software. Live Update will now function normally and get all your updates.
When done, simply set your clock / year back to the proper date.
At last if you have to use a Symantec product, this will get you by until you find something else.
It really would irk me to pay Microsoft for a service that is necessary because their architecture permits this abominable situation.
Dvorak wrote a funny column on it this month:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1869377,00.asp
So I wanted to thank everyone who recommended the free alternatives above.
Neal
It really would irk me to pay Microsoft for a service that is necessary because their architecture permits this abominable situation.
Dvorak wrote a funny column on it this month:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1869377,00.asp
So I wanted to thank everyone who recommended the free alternatives above.
Neal
- Norton products price hike
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by PeterAlan602
December 22, 2006 9:52 AM PST
- I've just tried to renew my NAV 2006 subscription but Symantec want £42 (over $70) to renew compared with my last renewal price of £19. I have kept with NAV for the past 5 years but there is no way I?m going to pay this much when there are highly competitive products out there. Sorry Norton but you have got too greedy.
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