I can't believe the quality of the LED blinkies and headlights that I've been finding at the 99cent store and it's cousins in the LA area. For $1-3 they can't be beat.

But I wonder how they can sell them so cheap.

volume, volume, VOLUME.

Also, I would hate to see one after a rainstorm.

I bought a $5 blinky last year that came with batteries.
I just replaced the batteries and it cost me $10.

This is how I understand it:
Most items at the $.99 store are surplus/left-overs from a year or two ago. The manufacturer sells them to the store for pennies-on-the-dollar just to recoup some of their investment. They still get to write it off on their taxes as a loss, but also get a little money, to boot.

If there is an economist out there, please clarify.

Before you need batteries again try this site.
https://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.400

I just picked up an 8 inch 'electric light stick' from Walgreens for $1.99. See: https://www.walgreens.com/store/produ...id=prod1679766 It has 5 LED's along the shaft of it and a button that allows you to cycle through different flash modes. I have it mounted horozontally on the back of my rack and I set it to 'knightrider' scanning back and forward. It is very bright and it uses red, blue, and green LEDs so I believe it is more eye catching than a simple 'red' blinkie. I doubt it is waterproof but I don't ride in the rain so that's not a problem for me. It could be covered in a piece of saran wrap or something for anyone who does need water resistance.

I'm sure the batteries won't last forever but...

Many of theses types of lights use LR44 'button cell' batteries. If the batteries in my blinkie die, instead of going and buying 3 new LR44 batteries for $2.99 a piece, I go to the Dollar Tree and but a $1 'LED clip light' or something similar and pop the 3 LR44 batteries out of it and into my blinkie. I can desolder the led and switch from the clip light and save them for future projects, and i just got 3 new batteries for less than what one would cost.

I bought a blinkie from Wally World. I think $7. The people I work with say it looks like a cop has someone pulled over when they pass me on the way to work. I think that's a bit of an exaggeration, but it gets the job done. Made by Bell (at least according to the box)