In the interest of being upfront and honest,  I am a retailer of iPod Cases and Accessories along with various other items through my Ebay Store  My Loot 4 You.   My motivation in writing this guide is merely to inform consumers of the huge number of ripp off artists and scammers that sell these products both on Ebay and the rest of the internet.

In researching products to sell in my Ebay Store I found that product quality and features varied tremendously whether the seller purchases direct from China, or through Wholesale Distributors, Liquidators, etc.  

Most of the cheaper priced products you see are purchased in bulk lots and are not retail ready packaging.  In other words what you are getting for that cheap price is loose pieces,  mass produced,  machine stamped cases or covers that no one could sell through other channels because they dont even have a upc number. 

When you see the words "silicone skin" it may in fact be made of silicone or other plastic material,  but the quality and the thickness of the silicone can vary greatly.  The thinner it is the faster it wears out. And the non-slip qualities of the case vary depending on the quality of the silicone rubber.  Cheap plastic is slippery.  High Quality silicone rubber is tacky and helps to avoid accidental drops.

Features vary greatly as well and you always want to ensure that the case or skin will match your application and includes the required cutouts and slots to allow you to continue to take advantage of the functionality of your unit.   I have found that cheap mass produced cases often have the cutouts misplaced or the wrong size.

In addition some cases include helpful extras like armbands, belt clips, magnetic enclosures, etc.  It doesnt always specify this in the item description so make sure you read the find print to determine what extras come with the item.

Thanks for listening and happy Ebaying!