Premium Wrap Around £18 (left) + Slimline £12.50 - £14 (right)
Hopefully you've seen my excited tweets/snapchats about the new cases coming out, because I'm VERY CHUFFED and want you guys to know all about them! When they first arrived I was adamant about replacing the current Slimlines completely, but soon realised this probably wasn't the best business decision. They are more expensive and not available for all the phone types that the Slimlines are. Excluding a significant part of my customer base just isn't justified when these cases have been well loved for two whole years! So although the Premium Wrap Arounds will be my case of choice from now on, I wanted to write out the pros and cons of both so you can make an informed decision on your next purchase.
Slimline
Pros:
- They cost less. I'm able to price these from £12.50 - £14 which is a competitive price, and affordable for younger teens/people on a budget.
- Slim and lightweight. These cases are ideal for people who don't like having a bulky case on their phone but want the security of protection from scratches/minor bumps and something to make their plain phone less boring!
- Case edges slightly rise over the screen of the case.
- Easy to take on and off.
- Although print is sprayed on, they are very smooth and more hardwearing than you'd think!
- Designs only cover the back of the case, leaving sides transparent, which looks very sleek.
- Easy to wipe off dirt, however can be stained over time.
- Available for a huge variety of phone types.
- 2 month guarantee.
Middle case is Slimline, two others are Premium.
Cons:
- Plastic has been known to crack. I have definitely noticed that my supplier is using an inferior plastic case type than last year, which has made me even more adamant to get the premium cases. I've never had a case crack before, and I put this down to being careful when I take the cases on and off. I know that a lot of people like to play with the corners of cases when they're bored by pinging them. This will definitely weaken the plastic, leading to cracking. Referring back to the last "pro", I am able to issue a replacement to most customers who experience any damage I deem a product fault.
- Print is sprayed on. The supplier does add a protective layer over the print to protect it from wearing, but it can be damaged over time by sweaty hands/rubbing. for about 6-7 months this was a very big issue, but I'm pleased to say the print has definitely improved over the past couple of months and seems MUCH sturdier.
- Print is sprayed on (part 2). On phones with edges like right angles (iPhone 5, etc) this is no problem at all, the print is cut off in a straight line. However, on phones such as the iPhone 5c and Samsung Galaxies, the curved edges mean that when the print is sprayed on it spreads out. This distorts the design slightly along the edge, as it fades out to white. This is not an issue for most people, but I have had complaints.
- Print can be stained over time, but most people replace their cases every 3-4 months so this shouldn't be much of an issue (unless you're an avid fake tanner who chose a white design).
- Colours print darker. Any designer knows the PAIN of trying to get your work to print how it looks on screen. These cases do turn out darker than I'd like, which has limited my designs hugely. But this is no issue with black and white cases, which is why I've brought out a lot recently!
For two years these cases have been my best selling product, thousands of happy, returning customers can't be wrong! I just think my new alternative could make them a LOT happier...
Premium Wrap Around
Pros:
- These cases have a smooth, glossy finish just like the ones you'd find on the highstreet!
- Case edges slightly rise over the screen of the case.
- As hard cases, they offer more protection.
- Colours print much brighter. This will open up SO many new possibilities for designs *squeal*. Previous case designs will also look much better, for example the "hidden gems" pastel colours will pop wonderfully. This means some designs will not be available in slimline, such as the Cocktails one, because the colours just DON'T look right dulled.
- (A pro for me) I will finally be able to send phone case samples to potential promoters for review, because I'm so confident in the quality.
(The colour difference is really hard to demonstrate with the camera I used, as it tries to contrast colours so much! The slimline version looks a lot better here than IRL, so you'll have to trust my opinion. Also the Premium case on the right doesn't look as sharp as it is IRL because of the focus on the left case.)
Cons:
- They cost more than the Slimline cases. When I first started Sighh, the cases I saw other artists providing were Premium Wrap Around for £22-£30. I knew, however, my target market would just not be willing to pay that much. I didn't believe my designs worthy, either (they weren't). I searched for MONTHS to find a supplier who could provide me with a way to affordably stock these without bulk ordering 100+ of each design, in each phone model... (Look how many designs I have. That would be impossible.). So, I settled with the Slimline which are really good cases, just not what I've always wanted. So after two years of asking (nagging), this same supplier has managed to get the equipment necessary to produce the Premium cases for an affordable price, and I couldn't be more happy.
- Pro within the con: These are only £4 more expensive than my current style. That's not even a McDonalds chicken legend meal, which would only last seconds!
- Limited phone type availability. Currently these cases are only made for iPhones (4/4S, 5/5S, 5C, 6, 6 PLUS) and Samsung galaxies (S3, S3 MINI, S4, S4 MINI, S5, S6, S6 EDGE).
- Tough to remove (they're territorial) but that comes with all hard cases.
So which would you prefer? Do you like your Sighh cases the way they are and feel no need to upgrade? Do you change your case regularly, so see no need to spend extra? Or do you prefer to invest in a case that'll last you as long as you want? Maybe you'll stick to Slimline for impulse buys and only opt for the Premium when you adore the design. Let me know!
-AVAILABLE FROM MONDAY 20TH ONWARDS-
Polly xo
