Firstly, the choice. Whether you visit Zazzle.co.uk or Zazzle.com, the Zazzle website is vast, and you will be totally and utterly spoilt for choice. I was looking for a iPad case and being a girl with a touch of Irish blood, I was drawn to the shamrock range, but there is a design for literally every occasion. They also have a huge range of products available, from phone/tablet cases to clothing to wedding invites.
This is the case that I chose.....
Secondly, the service. I placed my order with Zazzle at 22.45 (GMT) on Tuesday 25 February. By 08.50 (GMT) on Monday 3 March, my order was sat safely at my house awaiting my return. Bearing in mind that this order came from the States, I think that's damn impressive......I've had orders within the UK take longer than that to arrive!!
Thirdly, the product. I must admit I was a little concerned about the quality before I ordered. I'd heard of the site before, but I hadn't had any personal recommendations and had never seen a Zazzle product before. My item was described as a hard cover case and "custom made with premium book cloth and finished with glossy laminate" - to be honest I didn't really know what to expect. However, my first impression is that the quality is very good. It looks gorgeous and it feels like it will protect my iPad.
It's easy to get your iPad into the case, and it's a very snug fit making me happy that my iPad is secure. This does, however, mean that it's a tiny bit difficult to get it back out again. I would be concerned if I was removing the iPad regularly, that the case itself might stretch (as you keep pulling it to remove the iPad) but I'm not sure. I'll keep you updated of any developments over time.
Whilst it hasn't got the multi-folding function that some cases do, it has got non-slip edges so you can fold the case and use it for landscape viewing. It seems that you can fold the case back without the laminate creasing (like a book spine would when you read it) but time will tell how long it keeps it's fresh laminate finish for.
Obviously, if you're folding it back, you can't take a photograph as the folded back cover blocks the camera, so you need to hold it open, and you need to ensure the elastic band which holds the front cover shut is out of the way but neither cause any major issues, in my opinion.
If you were planning on holding the iPad, the case does make it quite heavy. This is probably the main disadvantage - if you've got an iPad Air, they're exceptionally light and you don't realise that benefit with this case. However, for protection and use with it on your lap/leaning/with the stand, it's absolutely fine.
Finally, the price. When I ordered my case, there was a promotion of 40% off and I had a $25 gift certificate (provided very kindly by Zazzle.com). Therefore, although postage is fairly expensive from the States to the UK, I had an exceptionally good deal. I'm always reluctant to order products online, and pay substantial postage, when you don't really know what you're going to get. It's ok when you see something in a shop and then order it online, but somehow it's not the same when you haven't seen it. However, having now received this product, I would say it is well worth the price and the cost of postage (especially given the speed with which it is delivered).
If you're based in the UK, you can also order from zazzle.co.uk where prices will be shown in sterling. I can't recommend Zazzle highly enough, so don't hesitate to visit their website and place an order.
