Avalons aren't for sale (except resale).  Batch 4 as yet unannounced, assuming it will ever eventuate.  Batch 1 is in customers' hands, batch 2 is due to ship any day.

The units being sold by asicminer are ready to ship.

Compare the price of a batch 1 or 2 avalon to, say, 6 asicminers, so you're looking at the same hash rate.

I found an avalon batch 2 on ebay (linked from the auction forum) for $38000, which right now with BTC1=US$90, is BTC422.  So you could bid BTC70 for 6 asicminers, and there's a good chance you'd get your asicminers before you got your batch 2 avalon.

So, if you think $38000 is a fair price for a batch 2 avalon preorder, then BTC70 for an asicminer is a good price (given certainty of delivery schedule).

Plus, you can buy one asicminer, it's much harder to buy 1/6 of an avalon.

Still, it's too rich for my blood, but there are obviously those out there who disagree.