Unfortunately, for the great masses of people, $22 for a small light, no matter how well engineered and manufactured, seems like an awful lot of money. They literally have no idea how useful they are, or the technology they represent.
I was talking to one of my co-workers a few months ago, and she told me she didn't own a flashlight. Not even in her car. I gave her one of the WalMart/Sam's 2AA rubber flashlights I found on closeout for about $2, with alkaline batteries. Just this week she told me how much she's been using it, now that the days are so short. I showed her the Arc-LE. She was really impressed, until I told her the price. Even when I told her the price of a 'regular' Arc-AAA she just thought it was too much money. I pointed out how she could have it on her keychain all of the time, how it weighs almost nothing, and uses cheap batteries. Now, she's carrying around that rubber 2AA flashlight in her purse, and it's not a lightweight, but she thinks it's just great. (of course, it was free.....) But that's the thinking of a lot of people. I'm constantly amazed when I run into people who don't own a flashlight, or don't have one in their car. First, you have to make them understand how handy a tiny, really bright flashlight is. Then, you have to convince them that it's worth about what they'd spend on a nice dinner in a restaurant. I don't eat in restaurants: I buy flashlights, and they think *I'm* crazy. Tomorrow, they'll be hungry, and in the dark.
I think there is a very good market for the Arc-AAA. As the cheaper lights like the Eddie Bauer LED lights now being sold in Target become more common, more people will be exposed to small, white LED (or turquoise) flashlights, and will realize their usefulness, and value for the dollar. Right now, relatively few people outside CPF are educated enough about LED flashlights to know what makes a good one, and what makes a crappy one. Target is also selling really crappy blue, green, and amber keychain type lights. They are poorly made, and have a relatively low light output. Odds are, they won't last more than a few months in someone's pocket before they stop working. And, the great masses are all to often incapable of changing the batteries in these lights. Net result is a negative impression of all small LED flashlights, because of a bad experience with a crappy, Chinese made $5 light. It's an uphill battle. But, as more LED lights enter the market, and more people realize the value that most LED lights represent, the more likely they will be to spend the money for a really well made LED flashlight: the Arc-AAA.