Over the past few years, I've noticed that both the brands/options in the fluorescent market and the quality of the lamps has gotten really inconsistent. Since about when the big manufacturers left the US, there has been increased mercury starvation in lamps, shorter lifetimes, and also a big increase in duds. I don't usually buy lamps at the store, but almost every time I do, there's one that just doesn't work. It's a little annoying going to the store and not being certain that the lamps you get will work.