The following list, in alphabetical order, covers a full range of online retailers. Mix them, match them, shop and compare. These products are so popular that you're going to discover plenty of ways to get your OtterBox on.
Straight from the otter's mouth
Of course, you can always buy directly from OtterBox. You can rely on the manufacturer to always display their latest and greatest products. If you want to be assured of getting the newest generation, count on that from OtterBox. The company site also gives you the option to customize certain cases in your own color combinations -- you won't find that anywhere else.
What you won't necessarily get from the OtterBox site is the best deal on shipping. There's a better chance of running across sales at a retail website, but you can find coupon codes for the manufacturer.
AccessoryGeeks
This might not be the best-known retailer, but they're a terrific resource for tech-related gear. Rather than carrying anything and everything, a lot of their merchandise is handpicked for inclusion on their site. The AccessoryGeeks staff also reviews a lot of the products they sell.
OtterBox-wise, they currently carry three lines: the Defender, the Commuter and the Impact series. In fact, AccessoryGeeks is one of the few online retailers who carry the Impact Series. They ship every order for free, too, to U.S. and Canadian customers.
Amazon
Amazon is almost too big. A search for "OtterBox" on this mega-site comes up with more than 300,000 results (at 15 products per page, that'll top 20,000 pages to click through). Filtering a little more finely, "OtterBox iPhone 5" brings up more than 85,000 goods; listings for "OtterBox Defender iPhone 5" approach 45,000.
Advantages like Amazon Prime and Free Super Saver Shipping are terrific. But what's the point unless you can drill down to exactly the product you want?
Best Buy
Best Buy's website has a nice little intro to everything they carry from OtterBox. From their homepage, select these links in order: Shops & Deals, Name Brands, OtterBox. They carry a full range of three OtterBox series, the Defender, Commuter and the Reflex. The site provides a link that shows a handy side-by-side comparison for these cases.
Best Buy's got a couple other things going for it. They have a low-price guarantee and they also offer free shipping. You can't go wrong with that.
eBay
Experienced and savvy shoppers can always find success on eBay, especially if "like new" is new enough. There are tens of thousands of OtterBoxes listed on eBay, and they're probably exactly what you're looking for...mostly...kind of.
Any time you shop on eBay, the whole "buyer beware" thing applies big-time. Read product descriptions very carefully (including shipping charges), check out merchant ratings and reviews, and don't settle for the first listing you run across.
With all that said, there are always bargains on eBay. Two factors are key: know exactly what you're looking for before you start, and then double-check every spec about your bid or purchase before you submit.
Newegg
Newegg's got plenty of OtterBox products available -- more than 600, in fact. They have free shipping, too. What they lack is categorization or filtering by OtterBox series or handset model. If you don't know precisely what you're looking for, and therefore what to enter in their search box, you're in for a long haul. This site will require a whole lot of scrolling and manually drilling down before you hit what you need.
RadioShack
The selection at RadioShack is pretty limited. You'll probably come across a lot more options from other retailers.
TigerDirect
TigerDirect carries nearly 500 OtterBox products. That's a pretty impressive catalog. They usually have most of the OtterBox cases for most phones in most colors. You will pay for shipping from TigerDirect. Most of their sales include a 30-day guarantee (see their site for details).
Walmart
If Amazon has everything, Walmart has almost everything. At least their volume is a little more reasonable to contend with. A search for OtterBox on Walmart displays 130-plus products, and you can always search for specific cases/series etc. Walmart's aggressive pricing is always good for comparison shopping. They also have some free shipping offers. For a lot of their goods, you can order online and pick them up at the store for free.
Fakeroos and strategy
Imitation might be a sincere form of flattery, but it can also be one big, fat rip-off. There are enough OtterBox knock-offs passing for the real deal that you should steer clear if you have the slightest doubt. Stick to reputable sites and vendors --- check for BBB and BizRate seals as well as customer reviews.
The problem is that it's near impossible to distinguish between fakes and the genuine article online. The one and only consistent tipoff is price. If the price seems too low to be true, then the article probable isn't true.
In order to get your best deal on OtterBox cases, start with the manufacturer. They've got the fullest descriptions and most accurate info -- after all, it's their stuff. Once you've picked out just the right product, it's time to shop and compare. Use the above list to check availability, colors, prices, shipping and special deals.
Don't forget to check around for discount coupon codes, too. You can usually find the most current, popular codes available from several sites. Here are three good places to start:
- Techbargains.com
- Tjoos.com
- Retailmenot.com
You can get OtterBox cases all over the place. Their products are so prevalent that you've got plenty of choices from plenty of top sellers. To sum up with a fitting pun: where you buy an OtterBox for your mobile phone is entirely your call.
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