What if you are not desperate to get one ? Making it progressively inconvenient to get a lamp is essentially forcing it out of the market, for most users who otherwise would get it

Grab them while they are on sale for like 10 cents on the dollar, if you planned on getting a single package get ten because that is what you would of spent, and in reality light bulbs generally never expire when unused get them all and your good to go for many years, and don't think you can't ask the manager for better deal at a wal-mart if your willing to take the entire shelf go ask, because they are able to give you a better then shelf price on an item they are trying to get rid of, I've found simply asking "is that the best price you can give me," and not arguing with them works wonders and if they cave on one item I'll keep going on the next item, so make sure you know what and where the next item is so your not calling them again and again or they will get annoyed and you'll pay more...

Im not talking about me. I am about the more common user who likes the light of Halogen or CFL, then there is no more Halogen or CFL on the shelf at Walmart. Having to go to another shop to get his Halogen or CFL is more effort. If he does not bother ENOUGH to do that, he will switch to LED which would be otherwise a lamp he would not use

In a way, this is like giving him a fine for not choosing LED : The effort (time, gas, ...) to get to the other shop cost money after all, and then keep saying that he is free to choose whatever lamp he wants

Im not talking about me. I am about the more common user who likes the light of Halogen or CFL, then there is no more Halogen or CFL on the shelf at Walmart. Having to go to another shop to get his Halogen or CFL is more effort. If he does not bother ENOUGH to do that, he will switch to LED which would be otherwise a lamp he would not use

In a way, this is like giving him a fine for not choosing LED : The effort (time, gas, ...) to get to the other shop cost money after all, and then keep saying that he is free to choose whatever lamp he wants

But this is how walmart thinks, if the customer switches to led,they will use less power, so there power bill will be smaller next month and every month after that, and this leaves them with more money in there pocket to spend in our store, that is what they see. So bigger picture even if they gave away the halogens left on there shelf they are making money, those who use them and like them, they should take advantage of the situation currently presented to them to stock up..

This why i dont shop at wallmart they are using same tatic to push CFLs in late 90s early 2000s but with leds
Even worse to restrict your choice.

HEB on other hand is walmart Competitor in Texas
And  I still have a choice.  There still HEB store branded
CFLS on the shelf but selection of them is not like i use
To. Plus i used to get CFLs for dirt cheap on earth day
For like 97 cents.  To HEB veiw if items sells they will keep it as long as they can.

In a way, this is like giving him a fine for not choosing LED : The effort (time, gas, ...) to get to the other shop cost money after all, and then keep saying that he is free to choose whatever lamp he wants

Are you kidding me about fines for not using LEDs?!?!? The stores are less than 5 miles away from each other on average around here. Which is what? 2 or 3 minutes more to his trip? A pint or two of gas mebbe? Someone has to be a major snowflake to let such a tiny amount of time/gas bother him. (Not counting those who drive gas guzzling vehicles.) You don't typically buy bulbs every Friday anyway so that extra gas/time is barely registered.

For areas with different stores too far spread out. He can always go to an online bulb store. 15 minutes on the computer and they're on the way to his house. If you're on the last bulb or ran out. Just borrow one from a multi bulb fixture until the new ones get there. Or keep the bulb supply stocked and always buy more when four bulbs are left in the supply to avoid borrowing from other fixtures or being in the dark.

Most average customers do in fact match your definition of snowflakes

Been saying this a lot lately but got no reason not to here, lol most my stuff is scavenged, "oh the stove light burnt out"? " time to hike to the junkyard,scrap yard abandoned building etc,! I don't need new stuff (in terms of general lighting devices aka incandescent&cfl)  most of the time, since I got access to lots of  lights... HID is a little tougher but it's definitely around aswell

What if you are not desperate to get one ? Making it progressively inconvenient to get a lamp is essentially forcing it out of the market, for most users who otherwise would get it

Quite simply- If the demand was there they would still carry them, but it is not.  When it comes to stores like Wal Mart and Home Depot, they are going to carry what the majority of people are looking for.  Otherwise they would not be a profitable business.  Business economics.  There will be others who cater to the minority but these big box stores cater to the majority.   

I think what the shops do is in part "active" to steer the majority, not simply "reactive" as you describe. The majority would buy whatever they offer, not demand from them to stock something specific or go elsewhere for a lightbulb

Agreed there, my parents preferred cfl's due to them being cheaper

They are not steering.  Most have already educated themselves and made up their mind as to what they want when they come in. Those who have not will look at the items, read such things as "long life" and "Energy efficient" and bam they were sold. 

Agreed there, my parents preferred cfl's due to them being cheaper

And if your parents seen a three pack of GE LED Brightsticks for 99 cents you know what they would buy, and I've seen them selling for that price here, even without the short term energy rebates we had in Alberta I can still buy a big name brand 60 watt equivalent LED at a grocery store for a buck..

Ever thought it could be more profitable for Walmart to sell LEDs than halogens? LEDs being long lived means less stock to be transported, means fuel savings too. And so on.

Ever thought it could be more profitable for Walmart to sell LEDs than halogens? LEDs being long lived means less stock to be transported, means fuel savings too. And so on.

And they survive the staff abuse better as well, I've dropped them by accident off the roof and ladder which would of busted any other light and the LED survived with a few scuff marks.. 

The new US assembled filament LEDs are just as fragile as the oldies.