It’s a Wrap

The irony is that we want the gadget that everyone else has, and yet after we get it, we want it to look entirely different.

The solution to that dilemma, as many a savvy business man has found, is customisation.

So you have different ring tones, a variety of covers, stickers and now, UrbanWire unwraps to the latest fad in town – the customising of protective films for your gadget.

What makes people pay up to $118 for such wrapping services is that now they’re able to envelope the entire gadget (save the columns where u insert your charger or hands free kit) in a single design instead of plastering many individual stickers together.

But with parent companies like Creative and Apple coming up with their own brand of stick-on for their products, how are such wraps, which are thin membranes with a sticky side, better?

Kuan Yin, 35, co-owner of Gad Wrap!, explained that the reasons the big gadget makers are at a disadvantage is that their designs are limited to their own range of products and aren’t customisable. It’s the same story for G Mask, the first company in Singapore to spark the trend. Clarence Lai, the manager, informed us that customisable wraps are the rage now that sales have been increasing 10% every month with each store having an average of 500 wraps monthly. In fact, it’s so popular that they already have 4 stores in the 3 months of operation.

For those undecided on the design, Kuan Yin told UrbanWire that the most popular designs now are the colourful ones with vertical stripes. These designs, which won’t stain even after removal, can range from animation to celebrities. You can even bring your own photo and use it as a design for your gadgets. But beyond the aesthetics, these wraps, which last for 5 to 7 years and can take from ½ – 1 hour to stick on, also protect your gadget.

So how protective is it?

The furthest the wrap can protect your gadget is from minor scratches. Kuan Yin, whose Gad Wrap! company started this month, explained that they “don’t want to misled people into believing that the stickers can do any more than that since the service is more focussed on the aesthetic appeal of the stickers.” However, most of the time customers use the wrap to cover the existing scratches from their gadgets, he clarified.

That view was echoed by Eve Tan, 19, a sales personnel from G mask, who explained that such wraps can’t prevent deep scratches.

Still that doesn’t stop the customers, many of whom are males, from getting their own personalised wrap. “Guys are more technology savvy, so maybe they’ll want to spend more to beautify their gadgets”, Eve rationalised.

What say the customers?

Clement Tan, 21, who plastered an Elvis Presley motif on his Ipod mini, reasoned that although he wasn’t keen on the idea at first, the “cool” design bought him over, even before he got the mini. “It was so nice that I chose the silver mini as it will complement the design best”, he confessed with a sheepish smile.

Still, not all share his view.

Jean Ho, 35, is one who won’t go for the service. “Take the Ipod for example, it already looks good by itself. A sticker just doesn’t make it better looking. If I want protection [for my gadgets] I’ll get a pouch instead.”

So if you still don’t know if you’re a fan or a skeptic of the wrap, just stick around and find out.

Gmask

Bishan Place Junction 8 Shopping Centre (Outside Thai Express)

Plaza Singapura Basement 1 (Outside DBS Bank)

Parkway Parade Level 1 (Near Taxi Stand)

Jurong Point Basement 1 (Outside Prima Deli)

Suntec City Mall (Entrance between Tower 1 & 2)

Far East Plaza Level 1 (Outside Guardian Pharmacy)

Orchard Cineleisure Level 1 (Near Lift Lobby)

IMM Level 1 (Outside World of Sports)

Tropics Atrium (Entrance between Tower 1 & 2)

Price: $38 (small gadgets like MP3 players and hand phones) to $118 (laptops).

Gad Wrap

Mobile Square

Far East Plaza #02-98

Mobile Square

United Square #B1-69

Price: $15 (using a DIY sticker) to $35 (a double side wrap on Flip/Clamshell/Swivel/Slide phones)