Product review

Every so often, I think it's a good idea to let you know about products that are tangentially related to photography.  Now, given that we have all mostly moved over to digital photography, sometimes we like to take our laptops with us.  To protect my laptop, which is white and has a nice diamond shaped pattern, I decided to order a laptop sleeve from Slappa, a company that  recently sent me an email that indicated a clearance sale on laptop sleeves.

I checked out the email and, much to my surprise, they had, what they advertised as a white, diamond pattern sleeve for 15.4 inch laptops.  Score!  or so I thought.  I ordered  it this past Monday or Tuesday (I forget) and I received it yesterday with regular shipping.  Nice, speedy delivery.  But then you add in the fact that the box was open because when they taped it shut, they didn't seal both flaps of the box to keep it closed.  Add to it that FedEx threw the box at my open front door (beautiful weather here yesterday).

Okay, so the arrival was mixed.  I thought the box was rather large for a 15.4" laptop sleeve, but maybe they put packing material in there.  No.  I grab the sleeve and pull it out of this black bag (like the reusable grocery bag material) and I see this huge laptop sleeve.  At best you could call the color ivory - it really is closer to a light tan.  I attempt to put my laptop in it and it is just swimming in the sleeve - the corner elastics, meant to hold the laptop don't reach (oh, sure, you could apply them to one corner, but not the other four for the top/bottom).  Interestingly enough, I have an ancient 17 inch laptop and the sleeve fits it!  Now, I don't want to lug the 17 inch lappy around, so, no, not usable for that purpose.  Not usable for the smaller laptop either, for two reasons - one the fit 9or lack thereof) and two, the aesthetics - the ivory/tan color looks horrible against the white of my laptop.  Finally, it has a black mark right by their logo button on the front which mars it at well.

Due to their return policies and the fact that this was a clearance item (wit surprisingly glowing reviews), it's not worth it for me to return it.  This was my first experience with the company.  If you've shopped with Slappa, let us know your experience.  I don't think that I will be doing business again, given the packaging, color, size, mark issues.

UPDATE:  yesterday, I wrote a review of the product at the product website, and at this time, 24 hours later, the review has not been posted - only the two prior ones, giving the product 10/10 rating have been.  Makes me question the company even more.  Also, company did not respond to my feedback email in 24 hours (in my business, we always return emails within 24 hours, weekends/holidays excluded).


Second Update:  It's now weeks later.  Slappa NEVER answered my email to them about the product and the problems, never posted my review (only positive reviews are posted for the product I bought), and in fact, sent me a survey to fill out, including asking me to write a review of the product.  That second, negative review has not been posted, nor has Slappa contacted me with regards to my request for contact in the survey.  In my eyes, and experience, this is a poor way to treat customers, and I will not be shopping with them again - no doubt about it at this point.