Most popular lights the ones being sold. Why?

Has anyone else noticed that the most popular lights at CPF show up for sale in B/S/T very very often.

I understand that they hold their value well, but if they are as great as people say they are, why do they get sold so often?

Well, uh, I mean, er, uh, I dunno! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Possibilities:

1) Buy 3 lights, pick the brightest, sell 2
2) Buy 3 on sale, sell 2 for more when the sale's over
3) Buy 1, break it, kinda fix it, sell it, get a new one

To make way (or money) for other even better lights?

4) Buy one, play with it for a while, sell it to buy something else

5) Buy one as a gift for someone, they turn out to like another light better so you give them the other one instead, sell the first one.

6) Buy one for regular use, use it for a while, something better comes along so you want to upgrade

My thoughts? Yes indeed a quality torch holds its value, especially if it's well taken care of. For example, I'm a "Flashaholic" yes? Yes! I would like to have the brightest light, in the smallest package, for the best price!

For example, SureFire has their great little "Executive" series...had to buy some. Then they come out with the KL1, had to buy some. In the meantime, Mr. Bulk, Elektro Lumens, SkunkLights, DSpeck, McGuch/dat2zip, ARC Flashlight, Technology Associates, and others are constantly coming out with newer "wow-em" torches...the prices are ever increasing. I'm not an LEO and really don't need some of the "lines" that SureFire produces...time to slim down the inventory to make room for some of these newer torches. SureFire comes out with the Aviator, L1, L4, on and on and on...time to slim down the inventory again to make room for newer torches...the ARC LS4 is on the way...

There are few and far between places for me in Anchorage, Alaska to be able to handle some of these quality torches, so many of mine are bought via mail order to "check out" (darned expensive way to do things!)...yes, another better "wow-em" torch is introduced and once again, time to slim down the inventory again to make room for newer torches.

I guess I wandered off as to why I slim down my torch "collection" now and then...but back to the topic...

"Quality torches hold their value" and it's the quickest way to recycle "torch funds". I just can't afford to keep them on the shelf. Hate to let them go sometimes, just like a favorite pet.

I was trying to justify keeping my 9v Turbohead setup...but figured a Surge would be an inexpensive sub if needed around the house. Once again, as a homeowner and not an LEO, do I really need that 9V Turbohead? Don't try and talk me out of it...I've got to pay for my last splurge!! (L4s aren't inexpensive you know!!) And why on earth do I need 3 - 6Ps? You don't want to know how many E2Es or E1Es I have...they may end up in sale soon also!?

After reading some of the above posts, have to admit...I run across a good deal on a decent light...I want to share it and perhaps buy too many. Sometimes I want to give them to everyone, and other times I grab hold of myself and realize that I can't buy everyone a torch. (I have given many Palights, Pelican L1s, eternaLights, ARC AAAs, InReTech 2AA drop-ins, and those little "Photon knockoff" keychain lights away). I can't afford to give eveyone an L4 though!

If and when I find that big "pot of gold" at the end of the rainbow...then I'll indeed "buy em' all"!!!

Well, those are my thoughts on the subject...

They are more popular,, hence,, more ppl have them,, hence more are sold? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

plus, selling a cheap light wont get ya much and might not even be worth the shipping

As the great boxing champ Muhammad Ali once said while being interviewed sitting in an Adirondack lounger in front of one of his million dollar mansions (and I may not be getting this quote exactly right here), "We don't really own nothin', we just holdin' it, holdin' it till we leave this earth, then it goes to the next holder", or something like that.

My point? That was such a deep statement that I Petite-Mal'd and forgot. But it must have had something to do with not really owning your lights, that they'll be gone one day since you can't take them with you, so buy'em, try'em, sell'em, and move on to the next new best flashlight -- hey, that's what Sigman said!

But ya gotta admit, Ali's statement was deep...hmmm, now which ones of mine was I thinking of selling again?

7) Impulse buy a bunch of the latest and greatest, realize you can't make the rent, sell them quick to get the cash...

[ QUOTE ]
Quickbeam said:
7) Impulse buy a bunch of the latest and greatest, realize you can't make the rent, sell them quick to get the cash...

[/ QUOTE ]
I guess some of these reasons are why we call ourselves flasaholics, huh?

And Sigman, I was thinking of the "passarounds" concept is a good one. A sort of "try it before you buy it" system. I had never heard of it before it showed up in our B/S/T, and in fact, I had to ask what a pssaround was.

Charlie,

Yes, Ali's sentiment was very deep:

from:
http://www.courier-journal.com/ali/timeline/740921_rumble.html

Is Ali afraid of death?

"Well, you don't want to die. But we ain't nothin' on this earth. we don't own nothin'. We just borrow it for a while. Listen to this: Death is the tax the soul has to pay for having a name and a form. Heavy.

For me, I have troubles buying (1) of anything. I usually purchase multiple units, pick the best of that lot and sell the other off, usually at a loss to me, but a good deal for the buyer. Most of the time, the lights I do keep usally wind up costing me over double their price, if you take into account the lights bought and sold to settle on the keepers.

Nascar,

Following your lead, I tried the buy-a-bunch-and-pick-the-best approach with the L4. I went to a local shop and got a great deal on five lights. It so happens that I wound up being gasketless on three of them. I thought I was in deep trouble, but SureFire replaced them, sending me some real beauties. I ended up with a magnificent keeper, and the people who bought the rest from me got some nice lights, too.

After all the shipping costs, the cost of the final keeper was just about what it would have cost to buy one light. So the real cost of doing it this way was the time involved. But my keeper is a really nice one in every way. I believe it was worth the effort and time.

My next question -- do I have the guts to try buying five Arc LS4s when they first come out?

Paul /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif