5/21/2013

Nev Skin (Online Shop, Australia)

Nev Skis is an Australian online shop, settled in Queensland, that has been selling vinyl skins for gadgets for eight years. I am one of those people with all my computers customised to the utmost, so places like Nev Skin are my personal heaven. Moreover, the skins protect your device from scratches, and make them look super-cool.

Nev Skin has vinyl skins for almost anything skin-o-able: mobiles, tablets, Ereaders, laptops, notebooks, Ipods, and Gaming consoles. If your laptop is not there, they have universal skins that will fit most of them; you just need to tell them the exact size, and they will trim it for you; or you can get the Universal size and you trim it yourself on arrival, whatever you prefer.  They have a good selection of images, from local and international artists, and you can choose from matte o glossy finish; I always prefer matte because the skin is less affected by glare, you appreciate the artwork better, and you won't notice your fingertips on it. Nev Skin prints on demand, so your skin is freshly printed for you, and the colours vibrant and strong.  

The website is very cool to browse around by design, meaning by the specific gadget you have, or just by artist. All images are zoomable, although the zoom is limited in size. The website is very informative about shipping methods and prices, approximate time of delivery, customisation of large-size skins, and on how to apply the skins on to your gadgets. Major credit cards and PayPal are accepted for payment, check-out is no-fuss, and you'll get an email as soon as your order goes through. Once your order is shipped, your will receive another email with a tracking link. Nev Skin uses Australia Post for shipping, and you can select registered or non-registered mail. They charge you just 1 cent for shipping within Australia for most skins, except for laptops over 14" and the PS3 slim and 360s consoles, or if your order is over 500 grams.

Customer service has been very friendly, prompt and informative all the way up by a lovely lady called Joanne. 


Nev Skin has identical or very similar prices, dollar up or down, as the ones you find elsewhere online. The prices range from 15 to 30 bucks, depending on your gadget, with a surcharge of 4 bucks for oversized laptop skins.

Regarding the skin I got, it differs little from the image you see on the website. As the zoom on the image is small, I was expecting an image with colours a bit more pastel, and also a less detailed and cleaner image (as the photo below). The skin I got is gorgeous, but the colours are strong and vibrant, and the image much more detailed, which is great with me; however, it might not be the case with other people. 


ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT 
> They need to improve their zoom to get a better quality and much bigger images of the skins, so you know what you are ordering regarding colours and details of the picture/drawing. Other websites with whom they share artwork and artists do just that. Why Nev Skin doesn't?
> They could easily improve the volume of artwork on offer and add Australian local artists, which would make the site la creme de la creme in a market that, despite aiming customisation, has very similar images elsewhere.
> They should have, as other similar websites have, a "make your own" skin. You upload your own photo or personal artwork to the site and make your own skin, using online tools. Then, they print it and send it to you. That is what call, real customisation!

MIND
As Nev Skin prints your skin after you order it, your skin can take up to a week to be posted. Mine took six natural days (four working days) to be posted, plus the seven days to get from Queensland to Western Australia. 
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I know many sites like Nev Skin on the Internet, the majority of them overseas. Other Australian sites have a bigger selection of artwork, but their artwork is less artistic. Prices are similar elsewhere, so I always prefer buying from an Australian company, especially if, as Nev Skin, they have a good customer service and a good quality product.