Some time ago, I ordered some of the stuff I sell on Society6 to check out the quality of the merchandise. If that sounds weird to you, it’s only because I don’t actually have any of my products on hand– I just upload the designs and Society6 produces and ships them on demand from their US production facilities (I get a portion of every sale). Just clarifying this as some people think I produce and ship the merchandise myself.
iPhone case, $35 USD
I first ordered my Kitty Pattern phone case for my iPhone 4S late last year (2012), I think. I took advantage of a free shipping promo going on at the time and had my case shipped to my Philippine address. It took a little less than a week and half to arrive which was surprisingly fast as most international mail reaches me in 2-4 weeks. I’ve already thrown out the package the case came in but its origins looked like it was from a shipping center in Muntinlupa City. Either Society6 reroutes their packages from their US facility to Muntinlupa or they have a case production/shipping facility there. Which is funny because I live 15 minutes away from Muntinlupa.
My kitty case looks like this on the site:
And it looks like this in real life:
It’s a hard shell plastic case that snaps on the back and sides of your phone. It’s a Casemate case and the logo is tastefully and subtly debossed at the bottom face of the case. I like the case itself– it’s thin, fits like a glove, and doesn’t add any bulk on your phone. The case’s colors didn’t come out as bright or as saturated as it looks like on the website, but it’s something I can live with (I’m flexible. Or flaky. Color reproduction might be an issue for others who are more particular, though).
It looks as if the design was printed flat initially then stretched to wrap around the case’s edges– the kitties’ heads and bodies elongated a bit to conform to the case’s contours. Not an issue with this particular design but I suppose if your design has text wrapping around the edges, it could possibly look a bit off.
Society6 cases cost $35 USD– a considerably pricey amount here in the third world as for the same amount, I can get SIX different iPhone cases in Greenhills or other tiangges/bazaars. One could argue that for $35 you’re paying for a custom design, but still… it’s a “first world price” and it’s for this reason that I don’t actively promote my Society6 iPhone cases for my local followers because I don’t think it’s worth the price, at least in the context of the third world :P
It’s worth checking out this other Society6 iPhone case review I found– she reviews the new case Society6 now uses (what I have is the old version): (link)
Small art print (13 x 17), $21 (price varies depending on artist)
Taking advantage of another free shipping promo (something Society6 offers pretty regularly), I ordered a small art print of my Play design. It took 4 weeks to arrive to my Philippine address, this time coming from a US facility/address (sorry, I forget where exactly). It came securely packaged, rolled inside a sturdy poster tube.
This is what the design looks like on the website:
And this is what it looks like in real life:
On my wall
On a person!
I’m very pleased with the quality of the print. It’s a “Gallery quality Giclée print on natural white, matte, ultra smooth, 100% cotton rag, acid and lignin free archival paper using Epson K3 archival inks” which means nothing to me. All I know is that the colors are very bright and saturated, the lines are crisp, and the print looks exactly like it does on my screen (it doesn’t show that in my photos, I guess). Is this real life?! It’s like a retina screen on paper, for lack of a better description. VERY HAPPY.
Tiger gives her stamp of approval.
Canvas tote bag, $18
Next (and last), I ordered a canvas tote of my best-selling design on Society6, French Fries. I had this one shipped to a friend in the US for her to ship to me in Manila (they’re trying out a US-PH mail forwarding business).
At $18, it’s priced reasonably, even for the third world. The price becomes even more reasonable when you see how big and roomy this tote is!
A bit big for my 5’4 Asian frame?
My cat fits inside!
Yes, its dimensions are listed on the website (13.5″ x 15.5″) but I am numerically-challenged and numbers are an abstract concept to me (that’s why I’m in an art field, heh). The product mockup on the site doesn’t place the bag in a visual context so I was pleasantly surprised when I got the tote and realized just how big it was. It looks very well-made, with strong stitching, a thick but soft material (“100% post-industrial recycled cotton, making it environmentally and socially responsible”), and an inner pocket inside. The bag’s bottom also lies flat. I did notice the bag had a slight, funky smell though. Not bad, just… weird. Maybe from the ink used to print the design? It smells sort of sweet, like food, or spices. It might be worth mentioning that the bag is manufactured in India (according to the tag). All in all, it’s a very good quality tote bag. HAPPY.
That’s all the Society6 products I’ve ordered so far. I’m looking to order a shirt or a throw pillow cover next, when I get the chance. I’ll put up a review then. I like to see the quality of the stuff I’m selling. If these three products are an indication of the quality of the rest of their merchandise though, I’m pretty confident the others are of good quality as well.
In the meantime, check out my other designs on other Society6 products:
Cat on a Bike throw pillow ($20), Alice in Wonderland iPad mini case ($60),
Donuts iPhone case ($35), Black Cat Caturday unisex tank top ($18)
I also have a couple of more “grown up” designs (with no animals and smiling faces):
And look, get FREE SHIPPING on all products (except throw pillows with inserts and framed prints) when you use this link: http://society6.com/wedgienet?promo=92155b. Offer expires at midnight, September 22, 2013, Pacific Time.
Like my Facebook page to be updated whenever a free shipping promotion is available on my Society6 products: http://facebook.com/wedgienet.net
