[Rockefella]

I bought a Fortte vertical pouch with flap a few months ago for my 8700c. Everything was going great until 2 days ago. As I was getting out of my car, the case got caught on my steering wheel, and the entire clip mechanism was ripped out of the leather case back.

I left multiple messages with Fortte. Here's their response:

"We got both of your messages just late last night.

We are very sorry to hear that your case got caught on the steering wheel. Unfortunately, it is not a product error and we will not be able to exchange the case. However, the good news is that we can offer 30% discount on the purchase of your next case for being a current customer.

Let me know if you are interested so I can give you the discount code.

Have a wonderful day,


Monica
Fortte.com"


Um, no thanks. I won't be getting another Fortte case any time soon.

There's a lot of fanboy-ism on this board, so I thought I'd post my experience so that people get a different viewpoint.

[ceebz]

Let me get this straight. The case was working fine for a few months, you get it caught on your steering wheel coming out of the car, destroying the case in the process and Fortte offers you 30% off of a new one?

What the hell is wrong with that?

[Rockefella]

Originally Posted by ceebz

Let me get this straight. The case was working fine for a few months, you get it caught on your steering wheel coming out of the car, destroying the case in the process and Fortte offers you 30% off of a new one?

What the hell is wrong with that?

Well, gee, nothing at all, if you consider the case cost over $50 and lasted a whopping 3 months. Not to mention, I had an OEM leather clip case from Blackberry (for an earlier generation black and white blackberry) that previously lasted under the same exact conditions for over 4 years. And finally, I now get to go around caseless for the next week or so until my new OEM case arrives.

No, nothing's wrong at all.

[yustonuser]

Rockefella - I understand your wish to have a case that holds up under normal conditions but you clearly got it caught on your steering wheel and it caused the case to rip. You said you had a case for 4 years for a different BB - did that one also get caught the same exact way on your steering wheel?

This is a crazy thing to expect - analogous to running your car into a dumpster after having it a few months, denting it and going back to the dealer expecting a new one and flipping out when they say "it will cost you to fix it or get a new one"

Either re-attach the clip or realize you broke it and buy a new one at a generous discount. Atleast your BB didn't get harmed during this "ctach" - you would be even harer pressed to get a new one of those from Cingular/TMO telling them you got it caught on your steering wheel and it fell out. They would tell you "Too bad, so Sad"

Good luck with the new case

[Rockefella]

Originally Posted by yustonuser

Rockefella - I understand your wish to have a case that holds up under normal conditions but you clearly got it caught on your steering wheel and it caused the case to rip. You said you had a case for 4 years for a different BB - did that one also get caught the same exact way on your steering wheel?

This is a crazy thing to expect - analogous to running your car into a dumpster after having it a few months, denting it and going back to the dealer expecting a new one and flipping out when they say "it will cost you to fix it or get a new one"

Either re-attach the clip or realize you broke it and buy a new one at a generous discount. Atleast your BB didn't get harmed during this "ctach" - you would be even harer pressed to get a new one of those from Cingular/TMO telling them you got it caught on your steering wheel and it fell out. They would tell you "Too bad, so Sad"

Good luck with the new case

Actually, you're dead wrong about Cingular.

Here is an exact quote from the RMA center, as to what they consider "outside of warranty": manifestly subjected to extreme temperatures (such as melted by a blowtorch), to extreme abuse (such as run over by your car), or submersion in liquid for prolonged periods of time (such as thrown into a lake). The RMA guy said that their engineers are very "liberal" when it comes to "out of warranty" abuse. I explained to the RMA guy that I had dropped my BB8700c at least three times as I was getting out of my car (due to a disintegrating Gizmoskin case I replaced with the Fortte). I wanted to be sure I was still going to qualify for an RMA. In response, the Cingular guy said, NOT A PROBLEM, we're VERY sorry that our product is causing you frustration, we'll express ship a new one to you right away. I was so flabbergasted that I stuttered out a thank you. I've had my problems with Cingular in the past (I spend over $150 a month on Cingular voice and data), but I plan to stick with them for as long as I can.

Contrast that with Fortte's response. By the way, I'm not an Olympic wrestler. I barely brushed the steering wheel as I got out. I believe the clip was not securely fastened into the case.

Anyway, it just amazes me how much fanboyism there is on this board. So little room for balanced opinions...

[yustonuser]

Balanced opinions are everywhere here. When a vendor goes out of their way time and time again, support and positivity are welcome and a pleasure to see. If this was a case where they emailed back that a design issue (like the Gizmoskin issue) was not returnable (note: where Gizmoskin was responded fantatsically) then I would understand your reaction and reason to publicly post. But this is a situation where Fortte continues to bend over backwards to create a stellar product and will return if the desgin is incorrect, etc. But you cannot expect to publicly post hoping they will provide a new case every time a customer gets out a car, catches the case on something and it accidentaly breaks off! That's a slippery slope

I'll let you work with Fortte - from what I have read they have been nothing but terrific to work with and I haven't even ordered from them yet.

I just feel (as someone who sells for a living) that I had to jump in when I clearly see someone trying to use this forum as a means to bad mouth a hard working company for no good reason.

My 2 cents.

[Rockefella]

Originally Posted by yustonuser

Balanced opinions are everywhere here. When a vendor goes out of their way time and time again, support and positivity are welcome and a pleasure to see. If this was a case where they emailed back that a design issue (like the Gizmoskin issue) was not returnable (note: where Gizmoskin was responded fantatsically) then I would understand your reaction and reason to publicly post. But this is a situation where Fortte continues to bend over backwards to create a stellar product and will return if the desgin is incorrect, etc. But you cannot expect to publicly post hoping they will provide a new case every time a customer gets out a car, catches the case on something and it accidentaly breaks off! That's a slippery slope

I'll let you work with Fortte - from what I have read they have been nothing but terrific to work with and I haven't even ordered from them yet.

I just feel (as someone who sells for a living) that I had to jump in when I clearly see someone trying to use this forum as a means to bad mouth a hard working company for no good reason.

My 2 cents.

Well actually, Yustonuser, I've noticed that this forum is very protective of many of the vendors discussed here (such as Fortte), and that the presumption is that people who complain about products are somehow in the wrong.

I got flamed badly in the past for criticizing Gizmoskins in this forum, with many forum participants touting the "good reputation" of Gizmoskin and contrasting that with my short tenure on the board. Result: My credibility was written off and everyone went back to raving about Gizmoskins -- which I understand are now finally being discredited.

[ragin cajun]

I understand where you come from but user error is in no way a direct reflection of the manufacturer. Everyones opinion is different but you cant ask Fortte to be responsible for your carelessness. As for brand loyalty, I have none of the cases on this board and am still using the stock holster. This is my opinion and isnt based on a particular experience with this company.

[gadgetjunkies]

I can attest to Fortte being very consumer oriented. I had a problem with my STi case with the BB fitting loose and they are working with me to get the problem fixed. If you would care to read these posts you would see that if a product does not work it is stated as such. Your comments of "fanboy-ism" are simply unfounded. As yustonuser said you're lucky that this wasn't the FOURTH time you dropped your BB while getting out of the car. Seems like you would have replaced the Gizmoskin case after the first time it fell out. If you don't like the case that's fine but don't get on here and bash a company because they won't replace something you broke.

[Rockefella]

Originally Posted by gadgetjunkies

I can attest to Fortte being very consumer oriented. I had a problem with my STi case with the BB fitting loose and they are working with me to get the problem fixed. If you would care to read these posts you would see that if a product does not work it is stated as such. Your comments of "fanboy-ism" are simply unfounded. As yustonuser said you're lucky that this wasn't the FOURTH time you dropped your BB while getting out of the car. Seems like you would have replaced the Gizmoskin case after the first time it fell out. If you don't like the case that's fine but don't get on here and bash a company because they won't replace something you broke.

I must say, I find it very amusing that people automatically assume there was "user error" on my part and attribute all blame to me. Interesting, did y'all conduct a forensic analysis of my case while I was taking a shower? Or perhaps y'all are such experts that you can discern "user error" simply by divinining all the information through a few posts on this board? If so, there's a kidnapped girl out there who needs your psychic abilities.

For the record, Fortte never inquired into whether, gasp, their product might have had a manufacturing defect. They simply assumed user error.

Perhaps y'all should not jump to conclusions so quickly. Or perhaps that is just in your fanboy nature.

[Rockefella]

Originally Posted by ragin cajun

I understand where you come from but user error is in no way a direct reflection of the manufacturer. Everyones opinion is different but you cant ask Fortte to be responsible for your carelessness. As for brand loyalty, I have none of the cases on this board and am still using the stock holster. This is my opinion and isnt based on a particular experience with this company.

My "carelessness", huh? Were you there to witness this "carelessness"? Can yo u attest to the amount of force exerted on the case as I got up out of the car.

Then you sir, need to sit down and keep silent.

In the law, we would say that this witness lacks ANY foundation to provide an opinion on fault.

[Rockefella]

For the record, I wasn't bashing a company. I was simply providing my experience with a company. Isn't it amazing how quickly any post that is even slightly negative immediately becomes the target of flames?

And on that note, I will quickly retire from this forum. Fanboys, assume the position and continue to dig your noses deeper into the posteriors of the various vendors who are worshipped here.

[coreyg510]

Ok guys! Knock it off. If you cant play nice I will close this thread.

[billclark]

Rockefella, it seems to me that you just want to complain and have everyone agree with you. When that doesn't happen you then resort to personal attacks when someone offers an opinion. If you're going to share your experiences, expect to hear others' opinions...that's how a forum works.

-B

[Meatbag]

Originally Posted by ragin cajun

I understand where you come from but user error is in no way a direct reflection of the manufacturer.

Exactly. It's not like you were paying insurance for the thing to protect yourself from being such a clutz. Take the discount that Fortte didn't have to give you and suck it up.

[ceebz]

Originally Posted by Rockefella

For the record, I wasn't bashing a company. I was simply providing my experience with a company. Isn't it amazing how quickly any post that is even slightly negative immediately becomes the target of flames?

And on that note, I will quickly retire from this forum. Fanboys, assume the position and continue to dig your noses deeper into the posteriors of the various vendors who are worshipped here.

A bit dramatic, don't you think?

[coreyg510]

ENOUGH! if you want to post your experience with a forte case, you may do so. Any further comments "attacking" or "prevoking" each other will not be tolerated. This is the final warning.

[gadgetjunkies]

Originally Posted by Rockefella

I must say, I find it very amusing that people automatically assume there was "user error" on my part and attribute all blame to me. Interesting, did y'all conduct a forensic analysis of my case while I was taking a shower? Or perhaps y'all are such experts that you can discern "user error" simply by divinining all the information through a few posts on this board? If so, there's a kidnapped girl out there who needs your psychic abilities.

For the record, Fortte never inquired into whether, gasp, their product might have had a manufacturing defect. They simply assumed user error.

Perhaps y'all should not jump to conclusions so quickly. Or perhaps that is just in your fanboy nature.

You said while getting out of the car the case got caught on your steering wheel.....whose "fault" IS that? The case? Give me a break!

[ShaneToronto]

It might be rediculous to ask this, but as an individual clearly unbiased towards fortee, do you feel (notwithstanding the problem you described) that the forte case was of good quality, attractive and easy to conceal under clothing?

My biggest obstacle with the fortee cases is that it seems as though they might be bulky and not hide well under a t-shirt, sweater or suit jacket.

[coreyg510]

The thing I love about my forte case is the ruggedness. It has an open face which can leave the screen and keyboard unprotected which is a big drawback, but I love the case anyways. It just feels tough in my hands. This one is a keeper for me.