I’m all about protection. I certainly was for my 3G. I wanted a soft case and a hard case and the absolute best compromise was two cases in one: the Switcheasy Capsule Rebel case. It protected my 3G so well that I was able to sell it as like new. I reboxed it in the original box with all the accessories (I didn’t even open the earphones, the mini adapter plug, and Apple had just replaced my dock connector cable so it was new too) and advertised it as used, but the person who bought it was speechless when they unboxed it. Truly LNIB.
But when it was time to transfer my old Switcheasy Capsule Rebel case to my 3GS, the same problem widely reported on the web reared its ugly head: the bottom sagged away from the iPhone bezel and the sides, especially at the bottom, gripped the iPhone enough to squeeze in my PowerSupport screen protector. Very disappointing, but after a few emails to Switcheasy with proof of purchase–even though it was from an unauthorized seller–they agreed to replace the case, both parts: the soft shell and the hard skeleton that wraps on.
I left the PowerSupport screen protector on, found a soft drawstring type pouch and looked for a solution that allowed me to use the iPhone 3GS in more of a native state. I bought a Case-Mate Stealth, which has a skin for the back, all black, and a privacy screen protector for the front (not yet installed, I left the PowerSupport Anti-Glaze on).
I compared all sorts of slide in cases, and decided to go for something very stylish: the Sena Corsa Designer pouch, leather outside, soft inside, and a pull tab to draw out the iPhone so you don’t have to either turn it upside down and shake it out, or push from the bottom. It has these nice holes on the bottom so you’re supposed to be able to hear the phone ring while in-case–although it has them on both sides, and as we know the iPhone doesn’t have speakers on both bottom sides–one side is a microphone. I had read that Sena replaced a lot of cases where the felt inside had come away from the leather, and that Sena was good about replacing those cases. Sounds like a good company, right?
I decided that their Sedona-Black colour was the classiest of all, and placed the order.
Sedona-Black was out of stock, they told me right away, so I could change the colour or wait. I didn’t have to wait too long, and had the Fedexed Sedona-Black in my hands yesterday, a week after I ordered.
Unfortunately, the case is nothing like the one on their website. Instead of the rich Sedona colour, which on the website is a deep and vibrant reddish-brown, but really bright, I got a dull red-brown case that did not stand out at all.
But worse than that, when I pulled out the foam insert that the phone case comes packaged with, I heard a scratchy noise. I looked closely and saw that the stitching of the case, probably hand-made and all, was tied off on both sides near the top inside of the case. Yes, on the inside, near the top, both sides. Sticking out to the inside. I have this beautiful $700 iPhone 3GS, a $40 case, and I can’t use both of them together because the case is certain to scratch the sides of my phone. Recall that I used an iPhone 3G for a year and you would have trouble telling it from a new one.
Of course, I wrote customer support with these problems. Their answer was that they were sorry to hear about my problems, but since I had the case engraved–which I paid extra for–the case wasn’t eligible for exchange and I couldn’t return it because these issues aren’t covered by their warranty.
Really? I have a completely unusable case and I can’t return it or exchange it? Does Sena really expect me to scratch my iPhone? I did a lot of research about this purchase, and found nothing about iPhone-scratching Sena Cases. Do others not have this defect, or do people not know it’s happening? Let’s hope this article warns others, though.
I’m going to give Sena another chance to make this right, to either send me a case that won’t scratch my iPhone, or take back the one they sent me and provide a full refund.
I’ll keep you posted.
Product Information for CORSA DESIGNER CASE FOR iPHONE 3G/3GS
? Ultra Slim Design
? Pull system – Easy removal of iphone
? Finest European Napa leather
? Velvet Lining
? Speaker opening
This is how the case is supposed to look, from a screen capture on the Sena Cases website:
This is how the case actually looks:
And it’s hard to take a snapshot of, especially to get an idea of how the thread where it is tied off sticks back a bit into the interior of the case, but this gives some idea:
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July 31st, 2009 at 6:10 am
No answer yet on that second chance I gave Sena to make this right.
July 31st, 2009 at 7:14 am
What email did you use for Switcheasy, my case has the same issue and i wouldnt mind having it replaced. they never got back to me about my first email?
July 31st, 2009 at 8:04 am
This one should do the trick for Switcheasy: sezoltan@gmail.com .
August 4th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Sena wrote me to offer a full replacement, including engraving, or a full refund.
They noted that they have *changed* the picture of the so-called Sedona/black Corsa Designer case on their website, and indeed it has become that dull brownish-brown colour like the one they sent me.
So, given my unwillingness to take a chance on the ‘new’ colour–I really wanted that classy *red* Sedona, and given the unlikely chance that the iPhone-scratching interior thread problem is different on their other similar cases, it seems reasonable to take the refund offer.
The real-red Sedona is a very classy colour, and the excuses that batches of leather differ, and that professional photography provides different visual results, may accurately represent the situation but it is still unfortunate that they can’t produce that colourful Sedona case they advertised.
August 6th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I sent a message to Sena yesterday confirming that I would return the case.
Sena’s customer service just called, from California to Toronto, to say that they had processed my refund. Coincidentally, I had just returned from the post office having couriered back the case using Canada Post Expedited, with tracking. So they did that completely on trust, and just now also offered to refund my shipping charge.
During the call, I expressed to the rep. that the reason I chose Sena was that in all my research I had found only positive reviews of their merchandise. They make beautiful things, and stand behind their products.
We talked about the colour difference, and in addition to correcting the image on their website, the rep. said he would see if he could find the leather in the colour I admired so much.
I have to be a little skeptical about the process, since they would know about this website and my remarks above. But given that there are only positive reviews of the Corsa Sedona, I am willing to admit that the case I got may have been a one-off mistake. I don’t know how they will correct the inside thread issue, but if it isn’t bothering anyone else, and I can’t find any indication that it does, Sena has solved this one customer’s problems handily.
August 10th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Sena Corsa designer pouch followup: not only did Sena fully reimburse me for iPhone case I didn’t like, they also reimbursed me for shipping back the case (it was about $14 to courier it back). (I lost a few dollars in the credit card Canadian-US dollar rate conversion but I wouldn’t expect them to do anything about that.)
Switcheasy didn’t just mail me a replacement for the case including spine (the Switcheasy Rebel case in black that went droopy at the bottom), they sent me an complete new package including stand, screen protector, everything.
So thus ends two good customer service stories.
I’ll review a couple of recent finds soon: the made2dock aluminum milled dock, and the Epik gel/resin case. Two excellent finds.
August 13th, 2009 at 11:28 am
So, the good folks at Sena, whose customer service now ranks among the great (after initially turning down my request for a return/exchange/refund), *did* go looking for brighter coloured Sedona leather among their latest shipment, and couldn’t find it.
As a goodwill gesture (after already refunding my returned purchase and paying the return shipping), they offered me my next choice. I chose the Turquoise/Black Corsa Designer pouch. They fedexed it to me, it arrived today, and it truly is bright, beautiful and doesn’t have the hard inside thread problem that the first case I had had.
August 27th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Switcheasy, without sending in the case would not send me a new retail box, and sent me a new plastic shell which did not fit right. and they have sent me a new plastic shell hopefully it will fit. they offered a refund. but i would of lost money on that in shipping to california. so i just let them keep sending me replacement shells.
August 27th, 2009 at 9:20 am
which ship from hawaii for some reason. lol
http://www.stamps.com/shipstatus/submit/?confirmation=LJ311061508US
September 20th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Hey Micheal, hows your latest sena corsa case holding up ? i’m looking at buying one of these but it would be good to know your views on it now you’ve had it a month. Cheers !
September 21st, 2009 at 8:29 am
Dan, thanks for your question!
Actually, I’m not using it. I found a gel-resin case on eBay which is slim and form-fitting, and very grippy, and doesn’t require sliding the iPhone in and out and leaving it uncovered while you use it. Underneath is a Case-Mate Stealth backing, essentially a removable black sticker on the back. On the front, I use a PowerSupport Anti-Glare LCD screen cover. All told, as thin as can be, but still protective.
The Turquoise Sena case may see some use in the near future though, when I get tired of the gel case.
mMichael
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:17 am
Thanks Micheal, I ordered one so i’ll have to see for myself if having to take the phone out of the case each time is going to bother me. I’ve also put a power support screen (crystal film) cover on mine, I think they’re great compared to the other films, almost invisible. If the sena case becomes too bulky i’ll give the gel-resin case a try, I like to idea of it being slim and form fitting but still protecting the phone.
Cheers
Dan
September 22nd, 2009 at 7:56 am
I think you’ll be happy with the Sena Corsa Pouch. I didn’t find it bulky at all, and if you want to experience the iPhone naked (or, you know, semi-naked, protected by a screen cover), it’s the way to go.
The gel case is great, feels good to the touch, but doesn’t provide that pure iPhone feel. And it doesn’t slide all that easily into a pocket, although better than most and certainly isn’t bulky compared to the usual Apple store soft/grip case. What it does is provide protection you can forget about since you keep it on all the time.