"The loss of the Surefire DB will IMHO be a more serious loss to Surefire than they can possibly imagine."
Hardly...SFDB was a nice gesture to a
VERY SMALL segment of the flashlight owning public who even cared to read, let alone post, on a pubilc internet forum. The SFDB was an expenditure that was likely not increasing sales enough, if at all, to justify its existence. It was likely consuming a bit more of time from the Surefire staff than they care to give. I'll miss it, however, the SIDB is a decent substitute.
"The DB was not only a place for afficionados of SF products but was a natural forum for SF to get positive feedback from the end user."
You "hit the nail on the head" with this statement, however, as the board matured, -
to me - it seemed that the feedback was largely coming from afficionados and not from the majority of end users. Enthusiasts that affcionados are, they will focus on refinement of the product itself rather than the usefulness it will necessarily provide (although that is an element their desire as well).
"I during my time as a DB member saw loads of issues raised with SF which almost certainly benefitted them as to problems with not only design but also QA."
This was indeed one of SFDB's greatest benefits, however, the issues were raised by a
S-M-A-L-L group of enthusiasts. I don't believe I saw posts by purchasing agents of organizations or other officials that addressed concerns of mass quantity purchases.
The chief engineer as well as other members of staff regularly commented on problems with their products which could only be positive.
If pk and other SF staff were busy answering SFDB posts, they were not doing what they were specifially hired to do. I don't believe that SF hired anyone to
specifically answer the many posts on the SFDB.
"Now they are relying on BULK SALES to the military to sustain them and in all honesty whilst the military application of SF's products is obvious they will put themselves at risk from competitors who will see an opportunity to challenge them in the LEO and civillian market place."
"...relying on BULK SALES"!?
Uhmm...They are a business and if they relied on 'piecemeal' orders from a small band of flashaholics, they would likely go into Chapter 11 or 13 within a week.
The opportunity has always been there, but the level of commitment by the competition to product developement that Surefire, LLC established is unequalled. That is what sets them aside. They have identified their niche market, capitalized on the seeming lack of direct competition, and benefited accordingly. That is what has allowed them to focus on R & D as a Limited Liability Coporation (LLC).
Someone here mentioned that they are "going coporate." That will likley change Surefire from the inside out. Instead of just answering to Dr. John Matthews and possibly a small group of private stockholders, they will report to a board with the interest of the stockholders who WILL be concerned about ROI and ROE instead of a HOLA for the E2 or a more robust clip for the M2.
"Of course I'm biased......I love SF's products but my brand loyalty was reinforced by their ability to listen to their customers. I somehow doubt that the loss of the DB will be a marginal event for them?"
I am biased as well as I have exclusively used Surefire products is a variety of "tac apps." Many members of the SFDB, Ken Good's new SIDB, and this Board are only privy to Surefire's ability to listen to our small group. I am certain that many will never know SF's ability to listen to the organizations that order mass quantities of their products. That MAY be a truer indication of Surefire's customer service abilities.
I have no doubt that the demise of the SFDB was a business decision that was not only a marginal but an insignificant event; judging from how quickly it was obliterated.
Changes are in order for the Fountain Valley, CA company. If they incorporate, we will see less of the R & D and the bewildering plethora of new products. The fact that LED lights are now being offered is an indication that the company desires to expand its market from the niche it found fifteen years ago.
LED lights currently have very limited applications in the tactical community as I currently understand it. Until someone developes a 5 watt LED light that will forcefullly throw a spot like the 120-lumen P61 lamp assembly at a BG at 30 feet instead of gently tossing it at over the wide area, this type of product will not likely grace the purchase requisition for mass quantities by a public service organization or military entity. Paul Kim has stated that there is no current product development around the 5 watt LED.
If not towards LE and military, the target market is then the general public - a new horizon for Surefire; a very
SCARY market. It is an arena ruled by mass sales to a consumer less concerned by the dark spots and circles but is more focused on BUDGET issues in a flacid economy rife with uncertainty and tainted with mistrust for the taste of corporate shenanigans so blatantly demonstrated by the arrogant likes of Enron, MCI, and Xerox.
:Rant ON: It is a market where Maglite is the big boy on the block because one can see their $17.50 3-D cell lights in Wal-Mart or the Texaco fill-up station (yes, I'm showing my age) hardware aisle next to the $3.99, cheap pot metal 5-piece screwdriver set, below the candelabra light bulb blister pack, above the rubber drain stopper and juuuussst across the condom rack. That is the market Surefire will have to play in if they wish to attract the public en masse; not on some obscure internet bulletin board attracting the finely honed dicriminating tastes of a gaggle of flashaholics.:Rant OFF:
It would be be a dour day indeed to see Surefire pay Walmart for a premiun space on their flashlight rack.
Greetings everyone, KT (Kogatana) here briefly.
