Hi!
I just recently bought what was described as "store return" "near-new condition" Otterbox Defender case for Note 4 on eBay.
I already had a genuine one that got on Amazon, and just wanted to try a different color, but I didn't really want to pay the full price.
What I received looked like Otterbox case at first, but upon a closer look I noticed a few things:
1. The material used is quite different. The knockoff feels like cheap plastic and the outer layer feels stiffer and does not have a rubber feel. Not sure how that may affect its protective qualities.
2. The fit is not perfect and the edges are not well-rounded.
3. The little circle that shows the production date is not very well stamped - looks blurred.
4. And more importantly, there is no serial number. Genuine ones have a sticker on the inside of the shell with a serial number for warranty. This one didn't have any.
However, this knockoff is very well made (for a knock off, of course). If I didn't already have the original one, I would never knew this.
So, beware that apparently there are a lot of counterfeit Otterboxes sold as genuine ones, and not necessarily cheaper.
None of my otter boxes have come with a sticker ever. The stamp in product is so small I have to zoom I. With another camera to get a good shot.
BAD ASS NOTE 4
BACARDILIMON said:
None of my otter boxes have come with a sticker ever. The stamp in product is so small I have to zoom I. With another camera to get a good shot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It looks like Otterbox started to use serial number just recently and only Galaxy S5 and Note 4 cases have them.
Here is a counterfeit guide I found for different Otterbox cases with or without serial numbers: https://blog.stigmasearch.com/otterbox/
vponomarev said:
It looks like Otterbox started to use serial number just recently and only Galaxy S5 and Note 4 cases have them.
Here is a counterfeit guide I found for different Otterbox cases with or without serial numbers: https://blog.stigmasearch.com/otterbox/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will call Otterbox and find out and post. I have 2 for note4 defender and 1 commuter none have it.
BAD ASS NOTE 4
Online I would not buy an Otterbox case from anyone but directly from Amazon-not a 3rd party reseller on Amazon, Amazon themselves. Or if you believe in the motto "pay full retail and be proud" you could buy it directly from Otterbox's website.
No serial number = Fake.
SOLD American !
Spoke with otter box and they do not have stickers. They have imprinted circle with other boxers info. For the hell of it went to best buy to see what they had no sticker at all. I don't know where op got his info but it is incorrect
BAD ASS NOTE 4
BACARDILIMON said:
Spoke with otter box and they do not have stickers. They have imprinted circle with other boxers info. For the hell of it went to best buy to see what they had no sticker at all. I don't know where op got his info but it is incorrect
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for taking the time to speak with Otterbox.
And because you spoke with them, maybe you can enlighten all the proud owners of genuine Otterbox cases (specifically for Note 4), where can they find serial numbers, if not on stickers? Mine appears as a sticker on the inside of the inner shell (see attachment).
I don't know what kind of cases were you looking at when you went to Best Buy. As I mentioned above, not all Otterbox cases have serial numbers, because this was apparently introduced quite recently. But I would be very surprised if Best Buy was selling genuine Note 4 cases that don't have serial numbers.
If you look at the case you shown. See the tiny center circle.. It has a code number on it. Otter box said they have seen a ton of faked but they do not add serial numbers to case at all. It is only a code. They also said if you paid a low price then you should know it not real unless you buying a used case off someone's site.
BAD ASS NOTE 4
BACARDILIMON said:
If you look at the case you shown. See the tiny center circle.. It has a code number on it. Otter box said they have seen a ton of faked but they do not add serial numbers to case at all. It is only a code. They also said if you paid a low price then you should know it not real unless you buying a used case off someone's site.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm guessing the code in a circle you're talking about is the product code.
Here is the warranty form that asks for both product code and serial number:
https://www.otterbox.com/on/demandware.static/Sites-otterbox_us_v2-Site/Sites-otterbox_us_v2-Library/default/v1427700323043/pdfs/imageUploadWarrantyTemplate.pdf
As you can see the product code and the serial number are not the same. It also implies that not all cases have a serial number, but if they do it should appear on a sticker. Perhaps, whether or not this sticker is present depends on the particular case model and which device it is designed for. But from what I understand, atleast Defender series cases for Note 4 have serial numbers.
So either whoever you talked to was underinformed or you didn't get the full picture from that person, or worse.
felloffthetruck said:
No serial number = Fake.
I've got a new Dark Jade & Citron Green (stock Screen Protector Removed) direct from Otterbox that I would take $35. shipped for. Paid $69.90 plus shipping for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The sticker with serial number is clearly visible in the same location as on mine. Thanks for sharing.
Sorry for the link formatting. I cannot post links as I am a new user.
3. The little circle that shows the production date is not very well stamped - looks blurred
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it is fake. Real ones are really sharp. Fake ones usually are blurred or not as indented in the case. See:
Real:
blog DOT stigmasearch DOT com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/otterbox-commuter-iphone-5-5s-counterfeit-real-case-front-a.jpg
Fake:
blog DOT stigmasearch DOT com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/otterbox-commuter-iphone-5-5s-counterfeit-real-case-front-b.jpg
4. And more importantly, there is no serial number. Genuine ones have a sticker on the inside of the shell with a serial number for warranty. This one didn't have any.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only a few OtterBoxs have a serial number. Mostly new Samsung models. Apple models do not have a serial number. Even the new iPhone 6 plus lacks the serial number. See:
blog DOT stigmasearch DOT com/how-to-find-the-serial-location-number-location-on-a-otterbox
Currently, no counterfeits have a serial number. So if yours has a serial number, it is real. If it does not have one, it does not mean it is fake. Only a few models(Samsung) have a serial number. Otterbox took down their serial number check after I pointed out to them it returned any value as true. That was four months ago. They have yet to fix the problem.
I predict within a year, all counterfeits will have a serial. A few years ago, Otter put a hologram on top of the packaging to stop counterfeits. Within a year, fakes started to have that hologram. Now that feature is useless.
I bought from Amazon, or Best Buy, it must be real:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does not. It is a popular scam to buy from companies that accept returns for any reason, like AMZN, or BBY, and return a counterfeit one and sell the real one or keep it. Happens all the time. Customer return centers are not trained to inspect for authenticity for returns when the product is cheap.
Another scam that is popular is to buy a counterfeit Otter from China(around $5) and break the case. Since Otterbox only requires a picture for a return, a person can break a counterfeit, and get a real Otterbox in return. It is very profitable since OtterBoxs can retail for over $60 for some models.
Counterfeit OtterBoxs have become so good, it is hard to tell unless you have a side by side comparison. The iPod's are the best counterfeits I have seen. The round edges make it a perfect for counterfeiting. See this post. It is impossible to tell the two different if you did not have the retail case. If you had just bought the case, and not the package, you would be out of luck:
blog DOT stigmasearch DOT com/otterbox/tell-counterfeit-otterbox-defender-ipod-touch-4
I made these guides to help people tell the difference. I should have the rest of the models up by the end of the month. It is expensive and time consuming to make these posts. So far I have bought over $1000 in real Otter cases to take pictures and $500 in counterfeits. Maybe I will open a museum one day. It is insane how close the counterfeits are to the real ones. It was not like this a few years ago. After all, counterfeiting is a national past time in China. A estimated 8% of their GDP is linked to counterfeiting. Take this story on how a whole city turned to a ghost town after authoritys went after counterfeiters:
businessinsider DOT com/china-cant-stop-the-production-and-sale-of-fake-goods-2012-8
In case you still cannot tell, please reply with as much pictures as possible and I will try to help you.
Please also note, the center box is the factory time stamp and the model. It is not the serial. The serial number is 11 characters/numbers long.
Kevin, what a great first post to start on XDA!
Thanks for your efforts to make those guides. I'm sure they will save a lot of people from frustration with counterfeits.
You're absolutely right, and as I mentioned at the top of this thread, the counterfeits are catching up so well, that if I wasn't able to do a side-by-side comparison between the real one with a serial number that I got from Amazon and a fake one that I got on eBay, I wouldn't be able to even start suspecting that I'm dealing with a fake one.
Kevin Hoda said:
Sorry for the link formatting. I cannot post links as I am a new user.
Yes, it is fake. Real ones are really sharp. Fake ones usually are blurred or not as indented in the case. See:
Real:
blog DOT stigmasearch DOT com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/otterbox-commuter-iphone-5-5s-counterfeit-real-case-front-a.jpg
Fake:
blog DOT stigmasearch DOT com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/otterbox-commuter-iphone-5-5s-counterfeit-real-case-front-b.jpg
Only a few OtterBoxs have a serial number. Mostly new Samsung models. Apple models do not have a serial number. Even the new iPhone 6 plus lacks the serial number. See:
blog DOT stigmasearch DOT com/how-to-find-the-serial-location-number-location-on-a-otterbox
Currently, no counterfeits have a serial number. So if yours has a serial number, it is real. If it does not have one, it does not mean it is fake. Only a few models(Samsung) have a serial number. Otterbox took down their serial number check after I pointed out to them it returned any value as true. That was four months ago. They have yet to fix the problem.
I predict within a year, all counterfeits will have a serial. A few years ago, Otter put a hologram on top of the packaging to stop counterfeits. Within a year, fakes started to have that hologram. Now that feature is useless.
It does not. It is a popular scam to buy from companies that accept returns for any reason, like AMZN, or BBY, and return a counterfeit one and sell the real one or keep it. Happens all the time. Customer return centers are not trained to inspect for authenticity for returns when the product is cheap.
Another scam that is popular is to buy a counterfeit Otter from China(around $5) and break the case. Since Otterbox only requires a picture for a return, a person can break a counterfeit, and get a real Otterbox in return. It is very profitable since OtterBoxs can retail for over $60 for some models.
Counterfeit OtterBoxs have become so good, it is hard to tell unless you have a side by side comparison. The iPod's are the best counterfeits I have seen. The round edges make it a perfect for counterfeiting. See this post. It is impossible to tell the two different if you did not have the retail case. If you had just bought the case, and not the package, you would be out of luck:
blog DOT stigmasearch DOT com/otterbox/tell-counterfeit-otterbox-defender-ipod-touch-4
I made these guides to help people tell the difference. I should have the rest of the models up by the end of the month. It is expensive and time consuming to make these posts. So far I have bought over $1000 in real Otter cases to take pictures and $500 in counterfeits. Maybe I will open a museum one day. It is insane how close the counterfeits are to the real ones. It was not like this a few years ago. After all, counterfeiting is a national past time in China. A estimated 8% of their GDP is linked to counterfeiting. Take this story on how a whole city turned to a ghost town after authoritys went after counterfeiters:
businessinsider DOT com/china-cant-stop-the-production-and-sale-of-fake-goods-2012-8
In case you still cannot tell, please reply with as much pictures as possible and I will try to help you.
Please also note, the center box is the factory time stamp and the model. It is not the serial. The serial number is 11 characters/numbers long.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice write up. All current Otterbox iPhone cases do have serial numbers inside.
mty msi said:
Online I would not buy an Otterbox case from anyone but directly from Amazon-not a 3rd party reseller on Amazon, Amazon themselves. Or if you believe in the motto "pay full retail and be proud" you could buy it directly from Otterbox's website.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, but by buying direct from OtterBox, I also know I'm getting the genuine item
lasoxfan said:
Yes, but by buying direct from OtterBox, I also know I'm getting the genuine item
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless Otterbox's return clerks can't tell the difference between a high quality knock off & their own.
Kevin posted after I did & I didn't realize the Otterbox counterfeiting was such a huge issue. I knew it was a big problem on eBay & 3rd party Amazon resellers but didn't realize the full extent of it. If I followed his & felloffthetruck's posts correctly at the present time Otterbox has no method of authentication on a lot of their cases. For some phones they have a serial # but not all of them.
You are absolutely correct that purchasing directly from Otterbox would be the best chance of getting the authentic product. I purchased Seidio products directly from their website and paid full retail (actually I had discounts from their emails) but the products were pure garbage. So maybe in the case of Otterbox it's a wise decision to purchase directly from them.
Related
I saw in the forum that a lot of people are searching for websites selling SGP silk, slider or sgp leather cases. (sgpstore.com currently only sales stuff for iphones... so sad)
This french export website has all of them, even zenus and lamborghini cases that cannot be found on ebay (however I ordered a SGP slider but unfortunately it will only be in stock mid-september, other stuff seems in stock tho).
Registered shipping is not cheap, so maybe you guys would like to make one big grouped order to the US (and share a little of custom fees ahah) ! If someone wants to be the manager for that he can use this thread. However if you feel lucky or oder something around 20$ if I were you i'd take the risk of the 5$ slow shipping. The admin also told me that for air parcel registered orders you can ask them to put the order as "gift" thus lowering drastically the chance of having a custom fee to pay, if you take EMS shipping you are 100% sure to pay that fee. So I don't really know what would be the cheaper, a very big grouped order, or a lot of little air parcel orders as gift, your call. Anyway the stuff being totally non existant at any US or european reseller, even if you change your mind or are not satisfied with a case I'm pretty sure you can resell it locally very fast at a higher price than your order, hell you could even auction it on ebay, I'm pretty sure it could ramp up to twice it's value.
Keep in mind the stuff there is for galaxy S i9000, cases will fit the vibrant, but the screen protectors may not, so beware.
Here it is, 4 pages of high quality cases and stuff. I checked the prices with gmarket in korea and they are about the same with shipping and screen protector included. Example on gmarket you can get a sgp gariz case for about 70000 won with shipping, here it is at about 80000 won with the same registered air parcel shipping. A fair price if you ask me. The customer service is very good, they speak both french and english perfectly and answered my questions within 5/6 hours ! There's also a lot of reports that this site is trustworthy over other forums.
http://www.exportprive.com/advanced...ch_in_description=0&keywords=galaxy+S&x=0&y=0
If this post is against the rules, well, just tell me and i'll delete.
If you want some extra pictures about how the SGP cases shape are in closeup and other angles, theres some video reviews there : http://www.galaxy-s.fr/
Here's the vintage one for the laziests of you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5skWNooz7LE
The videos and pictures are not in french they are silent ^^ so heh. And chrome translate is your friend for the articles. I also saw that guy put a review of a very nice and cheap clamshell case, but his website is out of stock, anyone seen this case elsewhere ?
well there is nothing there that i havent seen in ebay...
epicfailguy2 said:
... (sgpstore.com currently only sales stuff for iphones... so sad) ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought sgp screen protector from this site for my SGS without problem.
a7mdo said:
well there is nothing there that i havent seen in ebay...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please link me to the ebay store where you can find gariz or legend leather cases then.
Sgpstores only sells sgs screen protector atm.
I asked sgpunited on ebay, he says he'll have the leather cases in two weeks on ebay.
Another alternative is http://cretouch.com/ which is where I ordered my Ultra-Oleophobic shield.
the vintage looks pretty cool in that video. Too bad they don't just have a back cover only; expecting my phone to fall off while using that case lol.
They have new cases :
Back cover only Zenus vintage : http://www.exportprive.com/advanced...escription=0&keywords=galaxy S&sort=2a&page=5
Cases with kickstand 4 colors (black gold/ black silver / light red / white ) : 8$
http://www.exportprive.com/solozen-standing-hard-case-samsung-galaxy-glossy-black-p-13514.html
I bought Sandisk memory & SGP Ultra Capsule. Very good prices and services!
I was going to order from here until I got to the credit card info and was asked my birth date. I find that highly suspicious, and seeing next to none feedback about the website I decided not to order. (I really wanted their kickstand case too.)
Actually, having a redirection to your bank's website asking your birthday number is what most secured websites do.
I already ordered from them with alertpay I had no problem.
woops wrong thread
Hi, there. I bought this product:
http://www.exportprive.com/anymode-...attery-cover-galaxy-i9000-orange-p-13600.html
....and I would like to express my disapointment.
ADVANTAGES: It is really a natural leather....it feels like and smells like natural leather.
DISADVANTAGES:
1. The cover doesn't fit very well. All edges are visable.
2. Build quality is low.
3. It is made by a very thick plastick, so it makes the phone ticker.
4. The price is 45 $, so it doesn't wort it.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
I ordered a Spigen Neo Hybrid case from a seller on Ebay from the US. I thought everything would be an authentic spigen case but when i received the case today, i was wrong. please refer to the pictures as I describe why it is fake so that you too do not get scammed.
1 - the packaging is incorrect. The original one does not look like this and is not in green.
2 - it does not come with the jelly bean buttons
3 - does not come with the authentication certificate so that you know it is a real one
4 - the power and volume buttons are on the TPU part of the case, then just spray painted the buttons with silver while the original spigen neo hybrid has holes for the power and volume buttons on the TPU part and the actual button is on the bumper part which makes the feel of it more clicky and better.
5 - the engraving on the side of the bumper does not say neo hybrid but NED HYBRID!!!!! are u effin serious!?!?! that right there was a dead give away.
sooo please make sure you check to see if the case has any of these that i mentioned so that you too do not get scammed. these cases are not cheap so you need to make sure you get a genuine part directly from spigen or their dealers. I have already set up a claim with ebay and will set a dispute with paypal, hopefully i get my refund sooner than later... thanks!
Did you read the description? Sometimes they explicitly mention that it is not a genuine sgp product in the description.
niclz said:
I ordered a Spigen Neo Hybrid case from a seller on Ebay from the US. I thought everything would be an authentic spigen case but when i received the case today, i was wrong. please refer to the pictures as I describe why it is fake so that you too do not get scammed.
1 - the packaging is incorrect. The original one does not look like this and is not in green.
2 - it does not come with the jelly bean buttons
3 - does not come with the authentication certificate so that you know it is a real one
4 - the power and volume buttons are on the TPU part of the case, then just spray painted the buttons with silver while the original spigen neo hybrid has holes for the power and volume buttons on the TPU part and the actual button is on the bumper part which makes the feel of it more clicky and better.
5 - the engraving on the side of the bumper does not say neo hybrid but NED HYBRID!!!!! are u effin serious!?!?! that right there was a dead give away.
sooo please make sure you check to see if the case has any of these that i mentioned so that you too do not get scammed. these cases are not cheap so you need to make sure you get a genuine part directly from spigen or their dealers. I have already set up a claim with ebay and will set a dispute with paypal, hopefully i get my refund sooner than later... thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here are some rules on ebay..
If the price looks to good to be true it most likely is, you get what you pay for. This is what happens when people try to be cheap and not buy direct. Spigen has a store on ebay that is official.
98% of brand name cell phone cases on ebay are not official.
If you paid close to reg price why didn't you just go to spigen direct? Were you that hard up for a few bucks?
I have a fake otterbox defender i paid about $25 for for my S3, however i didnt get pissed after buying it and you know why? I paid HALF what a real one cost and for the most part its the same damn thing, it It protects my phone just as well
Oh and PS if you message the seller and show him the things that you know make it a fake, and say you are calling spigen to verify authenticity , 9 times out of 10 they will offer a full refund without even shipping the item back
Carls Jr said:
Dude what was the sellers name so other people dont get scammed as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it was rishipatel09
lambstone said:
Did you read the description? Sometimes they explicitly mention that it is not a genuine sgp product in the description.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it said genuine on the auction, ebay has already removed that listing from their website prolly because of al the complaints
Carls Jr said:
Dude what was the sellers name so other people dont get scammed as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although I can't clarify for the OP. I also received the exact item he received. Some more notes:
- The counterfeit item is much thicker. Having now compared them. When I received my NED HYBRID, I was like "this is premium? I paid $25 for this?" Quality is very inferior in the knock-off.
- The packaging will have a model# for an S3 in white. They don't change the SKU's on the counterfeit.
- The 3d Authentication Sticker says "Official SGPSTORE.COM Product" - the real one says Official SPIGEN Product or something.
I think they may have recycled the plastic cases from a previous batch (factory left overs) and made up a new slip?
My seller was sino-wireless .
Here are some rules on ebay..
If the price looks to good to be true it most likely is, you get what you pay for. This is what happens when people try to be cheap and not buy direct. Spigen has a store on ebay that is official.
98% of brand name cell phone cases on ebay are not official.
If you paid close to reg price why didn't you just go to spigen direct? Were you that hard up for a few bucks?
I have a fake otterbox defender i paid about $25 for for my S3, however i didnt get pissed after buying it and you know why? I paid HALF what a real one cost and for the most part its the same damn thing, it It protects my phone just as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought it on Ebay for near retail price at $25 because it was sold out at the time. I actively chose one that said it was authentic SPIGEN, made in Korea, and priced accordingly. If I wanted the chinese one, I would have paid $9 for it.
Hehe on the 2nd picture, the one of the silver frame it says ned hybrid , not neo hybrid.
rexxcastle said:
Here are some rules on ebay..
If the price looks to good to be true it most likely is, you get what you pay for. This is what happens when people try to be cheap and not buy direct. Spigen has a store on ebay that is official.
98% of brand name cell phone cases on ebay are not official.
If you paid close to reg price why didn't you just go to spigen direct? Were you that hard up for a few bucks?
I have a fake otterbox defender i paid about $25 for for my S3, however i didnt get pissed after buying it and you know why? I paid HALF what a real one cost and for the most part its the same damn thing, it It protects my phone just as well
Oh and PS if you message the seller and show him the things that you know make it a fake, and say you are calling spigen to verify authenticity , 9 times out of 10 they will offer a full refund without even shipping the item back
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i did tell the seller and opened a case with ebay but he is only offering a partial refund of 15 from the price of the phone which was 20 which is bs, i got this because it stated authentic and you are not able to falsely advertise on ebay, i know still some people do, but ebay protects you anyway if such a thing happens. the sellers feedback was also 100 so i felt good about it, and it was from US n not international.
please ! report these dicks to spigen !
open a support chat/email.
also check this out:
http://www.spigen.com/counterfeit_products/
LOLz on the NED Hybrid I think that was the dead ringer for me.
have to say it "you get what you pay for"
I'm sure you paid far less than the $31.99 they charging on the site, that would have been a obvious sign for me.
I had a 7.99 off card they gave me from one of their promos, got the Ultra Crystal SP and Aluminum buttons half off, was a good enough deal for me, just ordered directly off their site with free shipping like I have many times in the past.
well the neo hybrid case isn't worth anywhere near 30 dollars
sad to see you paid 25 for a fake
this is why i never really take my chances with ebay.
id rather buy direct from people and know its authentic then take a chance n get ripped off.
i ordered the neo hybrid satin silver and its well worth the 30 i paid
Just yesterday I received a Spigen case for my new S4. Inside the case was a little card which mentioned authenticating my Spigen product. I thought to myself, "How arrogant of them to think that somebody would want to copy their cell phone case" and ignored it.
Well, I guess the joke is on me! Fortunately I just now ran the authentication on my case, and it's legit (whew!).
Thanks for this report, perhaps it will save somebody some grief. I had no idea such a thing was a problem....
Ordered a fake from China in red for 12 bucks.
I know what I'm getting at that price. Anything half price of the general set price is always a knock off.
Not spending 30 bucks for this plastic case.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
I got taken to and filed a "Counterfeit" claim with paypal and demanded a refund and prepaid mailer. I refused to pay to ship counterfeit merchandise. Got my refund in 20 minutes of opening claim.
BEWARE
huafu168 (440)
99.2% Positive Feedback
Member since Apr-06-12 in China
yea, if got scammed as well, same case. but i keep it. it is a good scam with high quality, for half the price
I also got same product from ebay. But it's very nice quality for half price. I am happy with this deal.
I actually bought a fake from eBay thinking the bumper would at least be interchangeable with the authentic ones.
Also, another thing they do is put MEGR instead of MEGA on the back where it says the cameras MP.
Sent from my Ancient Atrix 4G.
My seller is requesting *I* send the case back to him so he can process a refund. I told him I was already in contact with Spigen (which I did file with them) and they want the case, so if he wants it back he has to provide a mailer/refund quick or it's going to them as evidence.
We'll see how he responds.
As I said. It's one thing to sale China clones that are obvious knock-offs at $9. But to package them and sale them as authentic at retail prices is downright fraud. My seller was US based and also had 100% feedback at the time. It hurts the brand. If I didn't know better, I would think "wow Spigen really sucks". Now that I have an authentic one to compare to, I know that the quality is far superior to the knock-off.
Hazerd said:
yea, if got scammed as well, same case. but i keep it. it is a good scam with high quality, for half the price
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even if you're satisfied for half-price and going to keep it, I recommend you put a neutral (doesn't hurt them) feedback stating that it isn't authentic. When I buy stuff on Ebay, I look for feedback in the neutral/negative categories to see if the seller is selling counterfeits. It helps others.
I disagree.
Neutral IS a negative in ebays eyes. .
If you are truly happy with the amount paid and the quality you got leave it at positive.
If your buying items brand new at half price and think they are authentic, then you are a fool.
The guy that paid almost full retail was taken advantage of. But sending the product to the actual company and dealing with reporting them and making threats and all this crap is just a waste, it's just makes you look petty. No offense.
Open a claim with eBay and let them take care of it.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
Just wanted to share my experience and warning with everyone about Spigen and their warranty practices.
Like many people when I bought my S4 I wanted to put a decent case on it to keep it from getting mangled. So I started out mistakenly buying what appeared to be a slim armor on Ebay. Once I got it, I realized it was likely a fake and Spigen confirmed it. Over the course of dealing with their rep I decided they seemed like a pretty decent company so I ordered a Glas.tr then a week or so later placed and order for a Neo Hybrid through their Amazon store using some bitcoins I had laying around and used the bitspend service to complete the purchase. I got the case, it was legit (with serial # that verifies) and everything seemed fine.
A couple weeks back I noticed my Neo had cracked around the usb port so I took a pic (large image http://pcsites.com/DSCN5201.JPG ) and hit up Spigen on Facebook to see what they had to say. Their rep told me to contact support and that they would send me a reinforced unit (so yes obviously based on this and the number of similar complaints they redesigned the ring on they Neo Hybrid blury pic showing the new ring http://pcsites.com/updated.jpg next to the old silver ring ). So I dropped support a ticket with my product and serial. They got back to me a couple days later. Their response was basically "whats your order #?" If you didnt order our product directly from us, contact who you ordered it from because we cant help you. I responded back and explained to them how I had procured my Neo, including a screen shot of the order confirmation from bitspend. They contacted me back and told me that that had taken my order # from the screen shot and an Amazon rep would be in touch with me. I contacted them back and explained again that I was just the person receiving the item from Amazon so if they told amazon to look it up by order # and contact the person whose order number it was then I wouldn't be hearing from Amazon. I did wait a few days though. Then basically I gave up, responded back and told them I would buy another product.
So just FYI. Just because they brag about a warranty, and they have 'serial' numbers to prove authenticity, don't expect them to stand behind their product necessarily. The tl;dr version of my ticket can be seen here ( http://pcsites.com/spigen2.jpg )
BTW the blue ring in the photo is one I bought when I got tired of waiting for Spigen to be a stand up company to stand behind their product and handle the replacement regardless of whom the item was purchased from. I doubt I will ever purchase from them again considering this service.
I bought one of these. Biggest waste of 30 bucks I've ever spent on a case. Not only does it feel cheap it is flimsy as hell.
They literally put less than a dollar in materials into these cases. And the trim that goes around it is beyond flimsy. It's easy to break just trying to put the case on or take it off.
Sweet looking case, but just a straight rip off. I've bought 2 dollar throw away cases that are better built and durable.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
Seems like you bought it at the wrong time, the updated version with the reinforced cutouts came out a while ago. Mines holding up fine but the headphone jack cutout scares me.
I don't agree with Spigen's warranty or lack thereof support, but lol for members to say their materials are cheap is non sense, and I'm just amazed so many people are breaking these things, I change my battery daily which means I have the case off/on once a day and have never had an issue, hell my wife even grabbed the band while I had it off to clean some lint out of the tpu, and she was twisting and flexing it and it survived........
sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 4
This is why I buy from the company versus another vendor. Many companies have issues granting warranties on product purchased from another vendor.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
scott_0 said:
I don't agree with Spigen's warranty or lack thereof support, but lol for members to say their materials are cheap is non sense, and I'm just amazed so many people are breaking these things, I change my battery daily which means I have the case off/on once a day and have never had an issue, hell my wife even grabbed the band while I had it off to clean some lint out of the tpu, and she was twisting and flexing it and it survived........
sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And hardly ever removed my Neo intentionally. It did however occasionally pull off a corner in my pocket. The materials are, what the materials are. In my book, they are likely using what their testing has shown to be the best compromise between profitability and long life. Thats why when it seemed obvious that they wouldn't help me with the warranty claim I bought a replacement ring until such time as I can find a better case. I am a bit picky and dont want something that adds a ton of bulk or a material that drags and pulls going into out of the pocket like some cheap silicon based tpu do.
rahlquist said:
It did however occasionally pull off a corner in my pocket.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats odd, mine is quite tight and has never come close to just pulling a corner out of the case
I would guess the outer is pc-abs and inner a good grade of Poly-u.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 4
scott_0 said:
thats odd, mine is quite tight and has never come close to just pulling a corner out of the case
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, mines pretty tight on my S4 and haven't any corners pull off.
Sent From My Galaxy S4 Running BeanStalk Android 4.3 And KT's Kernel
Mine lasted about 3 months and then one of the "bars" surrounding the USB snapped and then the other one gave a week later. The new reinforced USB port looks a lot more promising but the original will inevitably break. I did not take it off that often. :/
rahlquist said:
Just wanted to share my experience and warning with everyone about Spigen and their warranty practices.
Like many people when I bought my S4 I wanted to put a decent case on it to keep it from getting mangled. So I started out mistakenly buying what appeared to be a slim armor on Ebay. Once I got it, I realized it was likely a fake and Spigen confirmed it. Over the course of dealing with their rep I decided they seemed like a pretty decent company so I ordered a Glas.tr then a week or so later placed and order for a Neo Hybrid through their Amazon store using some bitcoins I had laying around and used the bitspend service to complete the purchase. I got the case, it was legit (with serial # that verifies) and everything seemed fine.
A couple weeks back I noticed my Neo had cracked around the usb port so I took a pic (large image http://pcsites.com/DSCN5201.JPG ) and hit up Spigen on Facebook to see what they had to say. Their rep told me to contact support and that they would send me a reinforced unit (so yes obviously based on this and the number of similar complaints they redesigned the ring on they Neo Hybrid blury pic showing the new ring http://pcsites.com/updated.jpg next to the old silver ring ). So I dropped support a ticket with my product and serial. They got back to me a couple days later. Their response was basically "whats your order #?" If you didnt order our product directly from us, contact who you ordered it from because we cant help you. I responded back and explained to them how I had procured my Neo, including a screen shot of the order confirmation from bitspend. They contacted me back and told me that that had taken my order # from the screen shot and an Amazon rep would be in touch with me. I contacted them back and explained again that I was just the person receiving the item from Amazon so if they told amazon to look it up by order # and contact the person whose order number it was then I wouldn't be hearing from Amazon. I did wait a few days though. Then basically I gave up, responded back and told them I would buy another product.
So just FYI. Just because they brag about a warranty, and they have 'serial' numbers to prove authenticity, don't expect them to stand behind their product necessarily. The tl;dr version of my ticket can be seen here ( http://pcsites.com/spigen2.jpg )
BTW the blue ring in the photo is one I bought when I got tired of waiting for Spigen to be a stand up company to stand behind their product and handle the replacement regardless of whom the item was purchased from. I doubt I will ever purchase from them again considering this service.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got in touch with them through the Help Desk because a friend of mine purchased one case for me while visiting Seattle and now I opened it and found out I got the one with the weak frame.
I told them that regardless who's selling the item, they are the manufacturers and is their fault and their duty to take care of them. Also, the case was purchased in August, long after they introduced the new frame, which means that they should've requested re-sellers to send back defective inventory in order to proceed to a substitution, to avoid customers from purchasing old and weak items from stores.
I hope they understand this and finally change their policy when it comes to customer service... Right now I'm in Spain and I can't really deal with the store in Seattle...
Cheaply made
I ordered my Spigen Neo-Hybrid from Spigen directly, before the S4 actually even hit the stores. I got it weeks into having my phone and was sorely disappointed in the quality of the case. I got the silver one, and it fits so very loosely, it ALWAYS comes out of the case, when I carry it in my pocket.
While it's very sleek and thin, it does add a lot of bulk to the width of the device. I don't trust that it will protect my phone at all, and find it a waste of my money. I will certainly never order from them again.
I recently found a fake Ned Hybrid, and it's a shame to see, that the quality and fit surpasses that so-called certified warrantied case.
Just an FYI, the DO NOT support their product if purchased through another vendor (including amazon) and it's only a 90 warranty. In order to have warranty coverage you MUST buy from their website. I like their screen protectors but won't spend more than $5 or $6 for them because of the crappy warranty coverage. I have a Neo Hybrid and the back is pulling away from the phone. I'll use it until I find another case I like. I might just go back to Seido or otterbox, much better warranties and the material never warped for me.
SPIGEN warranty link, look under "What is SPIGEN SGP’s warranty policy?"
http://www.spigen.com/warranty
This is why many people are resorting to using Aliexpress and picking up multiple fakes. At least with the fakes if something happens you are out $7 instead of $20 or $50.
In the mean time my $7 Armorview case is holding up just dandy.
Caferacer said:
This is why many people are resorting to using Aliexpress and picking up multiple fakes. At least with the fakes if something happens you are out $7 instead of $20 or $50.
In the mean time my $7 Armorview case is holding up just dandy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you're lucky I ordered 2 through them and they never arrived. Aliexpress kept telling me to wait until the delivery date before opening a dispute and when I did it auto accepted the order and I can't do anything about it now. I'm talking with my bank about doing a back charge to Aliexpress. Long story short, I was burned and I'm a little pissy.
Theoriginalgiga said:
you're lucky I ordered 2 through them and they never arrived. Aliexpress kept telling me to wait until the delivery date before opening a dispute and when I did it auto accepted the order and I can't do anything about it now. I'm talking with my bank about doing a back charge to Aliexpress. Long story short, I was burned and I'm a little pissy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look in the armor slimview thread for some trusted sellers. Wading in without knowing trusted sellers can get you burned. Ebay is another choice as well; I prefer them for faster shipping and more buyer protection. For instance, I ordered from these guys and my case has held up very well, and they are a US seller. Be aware they are fakes, but they came from the improved run.
http://www.ebay.com/usr/bestbrandusa
Caferacer said:
Look in the armor slimview thread for some trusted sellers. Wading in without knowing trusted sellers can get you burned. Ebay is another choice as well. I prefer them for faster shipping and more buyer protection. For instance, I ordered from these guys and my case has held up very well.
http://www.ebay.com/usr/bestbrandusa
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ordered using a trusted link and many people had ordered from. I'm just an unlucky schmuck that got burned. I'll order another one again, probably off of eBay and one from the states because PayPal doesn't cover most international purchases.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
I got my hybrid Neo today.. bought on Amazon but sold from Spigen SGP.. So can anyone confirm if this is the "reinforced version"
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
And also I notice this minor "design flaw" in the TPU slevee, exactly where the headphones goes, it seams like the tpu and the hard shell doesn't align very good, even without the phone.. So anyone else is like this. ?
Sure this is not a big problem.. however I though it was going to be almost perfect like the one I have for my GS2...
Cheers.
CyberManiaK said:
I got my hybrid Neo today.. bought on Amazon but sold from Spigen SGP.. So can anyone confirm if this is the "reinforced version"
And also I notice this minor "design flaw" in the TPU slevee, exactly where the headphones goes, it seams like the tpu and the hard shell doesn't align very good, even without the phone.. So anyone else is like this. ?
Sure this is not a big problem.. however I though it was going to be almost perfect like the one I have for my GS2...
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought the Neo Hybrid about month and a half to 2 months ago straight from Spigens site and this is what mine looks like. Yours does look "reinforced" compared to mine but I'm not sure which is which really.
Adam0524 said:
I bought the Neo Hybrid about month and a half to 2 months ago straight from Spigens site and this is what mine looks like. Yours does look "reinforced" compared to mine but I'm not sure which is which really.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah it looks like mine is the "reinforced" one, lets wait to see if someone can confirm.. But yours looks like mine on the headphone hole ? that little gap between the hard shell and the tpu..
I recently bought two of these assuming them to be the genuine Sony ones. The page claims they are and they even arrived in boxes that looked right.
They are Chinese fakes though. There are a few tell-tell signs like blurry box text and poor fitment.
Honestly, I wouldn't really mind if they actually did the job properly but they don't. Having now bought an official one from the Sony store (at double the price, sadly) the differences are notable. It's just a much better quality thing.
The fakes are much lighter plastic which doesn't feel solid when the phone is in it. The fit is too tight for the Z5 and would definitely scratch it after a few times slotting it in and out. The USB plug is poorly aligned so the phone doesn't lock on very easily. The rubber bottom designed to prevent slip is glued on so weakly that taking off the protective plastic pulls the rubber off!
There seem to be a few sellers on Amazon purporting to sell official Sony ones but, from what I can tell, they are all fakes. The clue is that they are selling them for less than half the price that Sony is.
If you want to take a chance on them, that's fine, but you should know what you're getting and it's NOT an official Sony product.
Hmm I'm a bit concerned now I'll ask my missus where she got mine from as the only bad I noticed was taking the protective of the non slip foam
Sent from my Xperia™ Z5 using Tapatalk
I guess you were buying from the Marketplace and the seller is not directly Amazon. The advantage of Amazon is that you can easily return such products and you get your money back. It's impossible for Amazon to determine if sellers do ship the product they advertise. Maybe you need to look for one with a reasonable price and not the very cheap ones.
andiling said:
I guess you were buying from the Marketplace and the seller is not directly Amazon. The advantage of Amazon is that you can easily return such products and you get your money back. It's impossible for Amazon to determine if sellers do ship the product they advertise. Maybe you need to look for one with a reasonable price and not the very cheap ones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it was direct from Amazon. They refunded me immediately, no problems there, just trying to save anyone else the time and effort. Trouble is, I didn't know how much they were supposed to be, to know these were cheap. Amazon was the first place I looked and they obviously appear to be genuine Sony.
Oh... that is something rare I think and never happened to me. But thanks for sharing this... I know it's sometimes a pain to get original accessories at a reasonable price avoiding replicas.
would you mind telling us which seller or maybe provide a link? I was actually about to purchase one last week.
This is the one I bought: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-DK52-M...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
There are others which also look to be fakes too though, so be careful.
Compatibility question...
Is anyone using this stand with a TPU case on the phone?
I have this Ringke case (https://www.amazon.com/Ringke-Protector-Protection-Absorption-Technology/dp/B019773VE8/ref=sr_1_1?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1505221504&sr=1-1&keywords=B019773VE8)
Cheers!
Has anybody had any experience with them?...anybody recieved a free case in exchange for some social media reviews? I've been offered a free case.... They want to paypal me the money to order it from Amazon. I thought that was kinda strange... Why wouldn't they just send one? Too good to be true?
Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk
BoomerShooter74 said:
Has anybody had any experience with them?...anybody recieved a free case in exchange for some social media reviews? I've been offered a free case.... They want to paypal me the money to order it from Amazon. I thought that was kinda strange... Why wouldn't they just send one? Too good to be true?
Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They're trying to tap-dance around the fact that they're expecting a Quid Pro Quo (a free case in exchange for a favorable review):
They're giving you money instead of the case,so they can technically say it's not,as you're buying it with your own money.
Yes,you're under no obligation to post a rating of any sort.
But,what they're buying from you is for the review to be listed as a "Verified Purchase",giving the appearance of an unsolicited/no-strings review.
If I were you,I'd report what they're doing to Amazon.
Show Amazon the correspondence you've received.
Yeah,you'll be out of a "free" case,but,JMHO,it's a small price to pay to help keep the reviews honest & legitimate.
BoomerShooter74 said:
Has anybody had any experience with them?...anybody recieved a free case in exchange for some social media reviews? I've been offered a free case.... They want to paypal me the money to order it from Amazon. I thought that was kinda strange... Why wouldn't they just send one? Too good to be true?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
KOLIOSIS said:
They're trying to tap-dance around the fact that they're expecting a Quid Pro Quo (a free case in exchange for a favorable review):
They're giving you money instead of the case,so they can technically say it's not,as you're buying it with your own money.
Yes,you're under no obligation to post a rating of any sort.
But,what they're buying from you is for the review to be listed as a "Verified Purchase",giving the appearance of an unsolicited/no-strings review.
If I were you,I'd report what they're doing to Amazon.
Show Amazon the correspondence you've received.
Yeah,you'll be out of a "free" case,but,JMHO,it's a small price to pay to help keep the reviews honest & legitimate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah that's a shady way of doing business man. If you really do make great products, let your product speak for itself but making it good quality.
Have it and ita good not bulky too
I actually own 3 of these cases. I was just doing research on maybe getting an S10 for my wife, and the first thing I checked was if ArmadiloTek was going to make a case or not. While looking up info, I realized I never left a review on Amazon. Obviously, if I bought 3 of them, I like them, but people don't get to see my purchase history, so they wouldn't know I'm a fan. I just uploaded this review on Amazon.
BTW - For the price, I think it's hard to beat. Also, if they offer a free case to someone hoping for a review, they are also taking the chance that someone who's not willing to spend $20 for a case is also the type to bash them online for silly things. Unless they are actually soliciting a "Positive" review, giving away a product and asking for a review is pretty normal. Especially for a new company. I've been to plenty of restaurants and bars that offer instant coupons if you go online and right a review, or they give you something free for filling out a survey.
************************** My Amazon Review **************************
Now I can write a real review after actually using this case, everyday, for more that 4 months. I bought 3 Note9's in September because they were so cheap. I also bought 3 different cases. All 3 cases had built-in screen protectors.
Immediately after getting the cases and comparing them, I ordered another ArmadiloTek case for my 11 year old son's Note9. That was the phone I was most concerned about having protected.
About 1 month later, I had to order another ArmadiloTek, because my mom wanted a stronger case and a kickstand.
In total, I've purchased 3 of these cases in different colors. They are awesome! I've dropped my phone a few times, and I'm sure my son has dropped his plenty. He rides his scooter w/ a Note9 hanging halfway out of his pocket. None of the phones or cases have any damage.
This is definitely my go to case from now on. Not as bulky as other rugged cases, better price, and they work amazing.
I hope they continue to grow, so they can offer more covers for other phones. My wife choose a S9 because she didn't want a large phone. Her case cracked the first time it fell and the case is all scratched up, because it's not an ArmadiloTek case.
I got one of these today and have a question for people who have one.
is the screen protector on yours TIGHT against your phone display cause mine isnt. when I tap the screen I can see and hear the plastic protector hit the screen.
Is this normal or do I have a defective one? (and yes, the peel offs are removed)
ratchetrizzo said:
I got one of these today and have a question for people who have one.
is the screen protector on yours TIGHT against your phone display cause mine isnt. when I tap the screen I can see and hear the plastic protector hit the screen.
Is this normal or do I have a defective one? (and yes, the peel offs are removed)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's normal unfortunately. Any device that has a built in plastic screen protector will do that unless you find a way to have the device firmly and stiffly up against the front if the case. You can try filling behind the device with small flat sheets of paper cut out to match the device shape on the back. Adding a rear glass protector may help. Just not sure how much it would though.
Jammol said:
It's normal unfortunately. Any device that has a built in plastic screen protector will do that unless you find a way to have the device firmly and stiffly up against the front if the case. You can try filling behind the device with small flat sheets of paper cut out to match the device shape on the back. Adding a rear glass protector may help. Just not sure how much it would though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks, makes me want to think about removing the built in one (the website has info on how to hair dryer it off) and buy a hard plastic one.
the case is awesome though, especially for ten bucks shipped
ratchetrizzo said:
thanks, makes me want to think about removing the built in one (the website has info on how to hair dryer it off) and buy a hard plastic one.
the case is awesome though, especially for ten bucks shipped
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I miss plexiglass screen protectors.
wawaweewa said:
Have it and ita good not bulky too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how good is it? I saw some review complaint about the finishment!
If they are willing to give me one for free, I will be fine!
FastRX8 said:
I actually own 3 of these cases. I was just doing research on maybe getting an S10 for my wife, and the first thing I checked was if ArmadiloTek was going to make a case or not. While looking up info, I realized I never left a review on Amazon. Obviously, if I bought 3 of them, I like them, but people don't get to see my purchase history, so they wouldn't know I'm a fan. I just uploaded this review on Amazon.
BTW - For the price, I think it's hard to beat. Also, if they offer a free case to someone hoping for a review, they are also taking the chance that someone who's not willing to spend $20 for a case is also the type to bash them online for silly things. Unless they are actually soliciting a "Positive" review, giving away a product and asking for a review is pretty normal. Especially for a new company. I've been to plenty of restaurants and bars that offer instant coupons if you go online and right a review, or they give you something free for filling out a survey.
************************** My Amazon Review **************************
Now I can write a real review after actually using this case, everyday, for more that 4 months. I bought 3 Note9's in September because they were so cheap. I also bought 3 different cases. All 3 cases had built-in screen protectors.
Immediately after getting the cases and comparing them, I ordered another ArmadiloTek case for my 11 year old son's Note9. That was the phone I was most concerned about having protected.
About 1 month later, I had to order another ArmadiloTek, because my mom wanted a stronger case and a kickstand.
In total, I've purchased 3 of these cases in different colors. They are awesome! I've dropped my phone a few times, and I'm sure my son has dropped his plenty. He rides his scooter w/ a Note9 hanging halfway out of his pocket. None of the phones or cases have any damage.
This is definitely my go to case from now on. Not as bulky as other rugged cases, better price, and they work amazing.
I hope they continue to grow, so they can offer more covers for other phones. My wife choose a S9 because she didn't want a large phone. Her case cracked the first time it fell and the case is all scratched up, because it's not an ArmadiloTek case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow, are they still open for free case review?