Future of Arc AAAs?

What is the future of the Arc AAA line of flashlights? Are they history at some point after the LS2 and LS3 get into full production?

Only Peter can answer for sure, but I'll hazard an educated guess.

No.

The AAA is Arc's bread and butter. The product that they've actually earned some money from. It is constantly being improved with baby steps, but it just hums along with FAR less attention than the LS project. Almost everybody likes them, and almost everybody can afford them. Be silly to toss a great thing.

That would be a real shame if it happened- And I don't think that Peter has ever indicated that there are any plans to discontinue the AAA-

The ARC AAA is a darn near perfect product and certainly would have a wider potential consumer base than a LS3 would at even half the price.

What may "go by the wayside" is the LS1- and IMHO, that would also be a mistake. I love the LS1, especially with the 2AA pack, and I think IT also is a darn near perfect product for its category too.

I'd love to see both of the current ARC products picked up by the mass retailers, selling in large enough quantities so that the AAA sells for about $10.00 and the current LS1 with a 2AA pack for about $50.00.

I believe that this is completely possible, although Peter would probably have to move to offshore manufacturing to make the price point.

even the ls with a 123 pack would be to big for most people to carry on their keys. the arc fits on my keychain just fine and is cheap to run.

The Arc-AAA is not going anywhere. It serves as an example of how a mature Arc product should look.

The LS1 is going to be around a little longer than we thought. Partly because the new emitters have been delayed by Lumileds. We may even see some hybrid LS1s. These would have the batwing emitter, rev1 housing and rev2 PCB.

Many of the details are not etched in stone yet because the supply of parts is subject to change.

Peter Gransee

Hey look at that. Right again. I think you need to start paying me more, Peter.

Are there any future improvements or changes to the already mature ARC AAA? What about the previous plans to have it sold at mass-market stores?

Originally posted by carl:
Are there any future improvements or changes to the already mature ARC AAA? What about the previous plans to have it sold at mass-market stores?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I'm guessing a little bit also, but a nice item like the Arc-AAA would be totally appropriate in catalogs like Sharper Image or Herrington's.
-Probly never @ Wally-Mart though...

Before it goes retail (if ever) Peter will have to take CPF off the packaging imagine the bandwidth this place would start using

The ARC Belongs in the J. Peterman catalog.

Gentleman's Illuminator

Most men a life of quiet desperation. Well, not all men.

He was different. A varied education, obtained from an Ivy league school, a stint in the armed forces (still classified) and a mysterious 2 year disappearance.

A True renaissance man, without being a know it all. He was always willing to shed a little light on any subject which he was an expert.

Which brings us to his remarkable little light. Barely bigger than the triple A battery it houses, this aircraft aluminum masterpiece will ride, weightlessly on your keychain till you need it to blaze into service for an astonishing 5 hours (That's 300 minutes) of full brightness until the electronically regulated "Moon" mode comes into play and gives you a further hour of usable light.

Fully potted and maintenance free illuminator head scrubs the battery contacts clean at both ends every time you turn it on or off. Will give a lifetime of service (We warrant it for a full decade)

Only available with the hardest military anodize (Formal Black or Titanium Grey) so it'll be your lifetime companion on your keychain. Think of the stories it'll be able to tell...

It could be placed Right Next to the URBAN SOMBRARO!

You know, unfortunatly, on the other hand--if lots and lots of people start getting these lots and lots of people might loose them in drawers and boxes and such, think of all the Arcs that would just be sitting around

I personally think it will be a sad day when the great Arc AAA goes into mass production, Just think of all those people who will have Arc's on their keychain and have absolutely no idea what a quality piece of equipment they are carrying.

Although Peter may disagree when he buys his first beach house

Originally posted by PhilAlex:
The ARC Belongs in the J. Peterman catalog......

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">PhilAlex,

Good job. You can write my ad copy any day! Seriously, I wonder if the AAA is being presented in the most advantageous way. For example, in Brightguy's catalog sheets (paper, mailed with orders), the AAA is presented rather unflatteringly compared to other lights. Both the photograph (dark, undetailed, static plain profile view) and the text ("overly understated" in my view, at least compared to the convincingly romanticised copy of the ads surrounding it) could be reworked and made more effective.

The AAA is a genuine classic, virtually a perfect product, but it can't sell itself, except to flashaholic type cognoscenti like us. I may be uninformed, perhaps the ARC is selling like hotcakes, but if it isn't then I would humbly suggest a closer look at marketing.

Brightnorm

The thing is with Brightguy, TTS, etc., we already know what we are buying when we go to those sites. I would like to see the light in a store/catelog where a newbie is going to be surprised by it. It really belongs in a REI, Trader Joes, etc. I'm sure it would sell in these places if it could get initial penetration.

Speaking of which.....what about Mr. Flashlight guy? Has anybody heard from him? Is he still an Arc employee? He was supposed to be the Arc Marketer if I recall correctly.

Actually, here's a great bit of unsolicited advice on Catalog marketing:

1) Catalogs DESPERATELY need new products every month. Imagine getting catalogs with the same products all the time... Well, you'd stop looking after a time, wouldn't you? The catalog buyer is begging, hoping that someone will arrive, with a fantastic product, that will sell itself.

2) Make it as BRAIN DEAD simple as you can for them to accept you. IE: Write the copy for them, as I did above.

3) Save a few options for "catalog only".

Sharper image is GREAT at this. If you want special colours of whatever, you gotta go thru the SI catalog, not thru the manufacturer.

4) Do whatever you can to get the name of the customer, so you can offer them more stuff... Only the home shopping channels have the "clout" to be able to say, "give us your product, sterile". This is the #1 marketing sin of all time. Peter's a great guy, but he shouldn't plug CPF on the Arc AAA packaging, he should say something like:

Email us at [email protected] for some great ideas on weird ways to use your new flashlight.

PS: In response to a few emails I've gotten, yea, I am for hire to write copy, or strategize marketing... but I'm finishing a copywriting column that's a real rush, so be patient, but feel free to inquire at [email protected]

Phil

i believe in due time arc flashlights will be as
renowned as the Maglite.

correct me if im wrong.
does anyone dare?

mike

I think they are now (as renowned) as Mags by all that see/use them

I love to buy Arc LS if price going as low as or below $50
IMHO, current price is too expensive to me
For shape and beauty at current price point ($120), I prefer SF E1e + KL1.