CaseLabs Announces It Has Been “Forced into Bankruptcy and Liquidation”

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They only have themselves to blame by charging such high prices. If they were smart they would have put out a budget line of case at a $50-$100 dollar price point & still offered the premiums as well. Or offered a step up program.
That was the Bullet line of cases, which I have one (BH8) of because it makes for nice small package. I'd actually have paid more for it if they hadn't cut some of the quality from the standard line to hit that price point. The Bullet is still worth the price as it's far nicer than most cases, but it's still a step down from the big boys (which I also have one of).
 
Welcome to {S}oft|OCP, where people bitch about how boutique PC cases are too expensive. Check out our new featured review of a refurbished Acer laptop we picked up at Best Buy as an open-box deal for under $300! And, wait for our upcoming retrospective: "640k: It Really Was Enough for Anyone!"
 
I have to agree that having something in their line up that is more accessible would be a good idea. Lots of of the shelf big name cases have 100-200 dollar options.
Might have helped, but there's something to be said about establishing a minimum level of quality and sticking to it. I appreciate that and typically am a quality purchaser, when I can afford to be so. I'd rather have less, but quality.

This is one of the many reasons Apple gets so much hate, they don't sell below a certain quality level and that means the barrier to entry is higher than with other brands. I don't have a problem with that and I'm surprised so many do given that we all hate troubling shooting those $300 Walmart PCs back in the day which were good for nothing! Cost does matter, but regardless of item it needs to meet a purpose.
 
I had a similar discussion with a buddy concerning the Skyreach Mini and Ncase M1. They come in at a certain quality and price point that costs what it costs. He was like 200 bucks for a case? Eff that... Lol.
 
Counterpoint me...and all the other people who can't wait for a 32c or more Threadripper. Total system cost on that will likely exceed $5k, but whatever...this is suppose to [H]. 10% or less of the build going to a nice case is really nothing.

I can't say how much the tariffs or the market or whatever contributed to their bankruptcy, but there certainly is a market for such cases. I have two already and was considering a third before this news.

That's great, Im glad you can afford it. Most people don't pay that much. Not because they can't but because its not necessary.
 
How many people do you know that want to build a computer and say "Gee, you know what would really make this build, a $500 dollar case". None. 95% of builders go as cheap as possible on a case so that they can spend more on core components such as Video Cards, Processors ect. So that leaves Case Labs with the other %5 (if that), not many people, not much profit. I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did.

Do a search on Newegg or Amazon for the top rated computer cases. Case Labs isn't even on the list.

Also, there is a monumental difference between a company receiving two million dollars for a product or five hundred.

I go for expensive cases . . . I am the 5% I guess ;) LOL
 
I go for expensive cases . . . I am the 5% I guess ;) LOL

Ive bought some expensive cases in the past. I bought a Phanteks Evolve case for $179 (the most I've ever spent on a case), turned out to be a piece of junk. Sold it, now Im much happier with a $80 Fractal.
 
Apparently that 5% isn't enough to keep expensive case makers afloat. You need the money from the other 95% too and they ain't buyin'

Totally agree. I worked the Thermaltake booth at Computex the year Case Labs and Thermaltake got into a huge fight over a TT case that looks like a CL case . . . .well, TT will be in business selling cases forever as they hit a variety of price points . . .
 
Ive bought some expensive cases in the past. I bought a Phanteks Evolve case for $179 (the most I've ever spent on a case), turned out to be a piece of junk. Sold it, now Im much happier with a $80 Fractal.

I spend hundreds in raw material when I do custom fabricated cases . . . .labor and machine time (which I do not pay for as it is my own time and CNC equipment of course) not included in that cost.
 
Apparently that 5% isn't enough to keep expensive case makers afloat. You need the money from the other 95% too and they ain't buyin'

Exactly, both Cooler Master & Lian Li realized this & they're still in business.
 
Do they even make steel cases? I thought they were all Aluminum. Aluminum tariffs are 10% and the market has a glut.

They should have left LA and gone to Idaho or some place cheap.

Seems like a cop out to blame the tariffs which probably didn't add more than $5 oer case...
 
InWin a great example as well. Cases up to 2k each but also inexpensive ones.

Agreed, InWin has been around for forever. Actually, now that I think of it, InWin was my first computer case that housed my K62. It was a beige one, like this
jWbIjST.png
Hugely popular back then.

If they made one like this with modern internal design features I'd buy it in a hearteat.
 
This is completely false. Caselabs was a US-based manufacturer not a chinese company (all their products were made in the USA). This is why the steel tariffs applied to them--they had to buy steel/aluminum to make their cases here. One main reason for the higher cost is the higher cost of US labor vs some sweatshop in China.
I'd like to see a Made in USA label on their cases, cause I can't find any photo of their cases being made in USA. The people from Level1techs forum are saying these cases are made in China. If anyone here has a Caselabs case, please take a photo of the label that shows Made in USA.

https://forum.level1techs.com/t/rip-caselabs-caselabs-declares-bankruptcy/130624/14

Even GamersNexus has shown why all cases look alike, and that's because nearly all of them are made in China.
 
I'd like to see a Made in USA label on their cases, cause I can't find any photo of their cases being made in USA. The people from Level1techs forum are saying these cases are made in China. If anyone here has a Caselabs case, please take a photo of the label that shows Made in USA.

https://forum.level1techs.com/t/rip-caselabs-caselabs-declares-bankruptcy/130624/14

Even GamersNexus has shown why all cases look alike, and that's because nearly all of them are made in China.

I’ll dig up my own packing slips Monday that have the original boxes with made in the USA. I’ve never heard the claim they weren’t. But that would piss me off.

I pay for quality and made in the USA if it makes sense.
 
Why does this keep getting posted?

There are $2 million dollar cars for sale. Just because something is expensive doesn't mean there isn't a buyer.


Because it's a valid criticism. The $500 case is a niche market even smaller than the $2 million car.

And if their margins were THAT tight, something would have pushed them over the edge eventually anyhow.
 
The tariff blaming is a fucking joke. I work in all aspects of manufacturing, and it continues to climb. Stamping operations are some of my biggest customers, and they've not been phased by these tariffs. I know why though, and that's because they don't import steel. Most of the steel used in manufacturing in the US comes from big steel suppliers in the US, such as US Steel, Nucor-Gallatin, and Gerdau. Most of the aluminum comes from Novelis(food stuffs like to Ball for soda cans and Reynolds for foil), and Alcoa & Arconic for coiled aluminum for most other operations, the primary being automotive.

Blaming tariffs was a huge political jab, and nothing else. They lost a huge contract and didn't have enough clientele at their target price point to justify their business model.

This is laughable. I hate it that American workers had to suffer because a company chose to run it into the ground.

Built in USA =/= Made In USA
 
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I'd like to see a Made in USA label on their cases, cause I can't find any photo of their cases being made in USA. The people from Level1techs forum are saying these cases are made in China. If anyone here has a Caselabs case, please take a photo of the label that shows Made in USA.

https://forum.level1techs.com/t/rip-caselabs-caselabs-declares-bankruptcy/130624/14

Even GamersNexus has shown why all cases look alike, and that's because nearly all of them are made in China.



From the AMA at Tom's with Caselabs (http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2457825/official-caselabs-representatives.html)

- How and where did you manufacture? (Andrew's note: You mentioned not wanting to go offshore. All US-based, I'd imagine)
We are based in Los Angeles, CA and all manufacturing is done in house.

Just because most cases are made in China doesn't mean the Caselabs people are lying...

EDIT: On second thought, being based in LA may be part of the reason why they went under. High taxes, labor costs and regulations. Doesn't mean tariffs didn't play a role. Tech companies can pay those kinds of costs but manufacturing? Would be tough.
 
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That's great, Im glad you can afford it. Most people don't pay that much. Not because they can't but because its not necessary.
I said it was niche. I never said it was required. I said the cost increase was marginal for that niche market. You're the one who claimed, and I quote: "none."

Get off your soap box and learn to read. Sorry, I have limited patience for this self-righteous, tom foolery today.

How many people do you know that want to build a computer and say "Gee, you know what would really make this build, a $500 dollar case". None.
 
Ive bought some expensive cases in the past. I bought a Phanteks Evolve case for $179 (the most I've ever spent on a case), turned out to be a piece of junk. Sold it, now Im much happier with a $80 Fractal.
For the money, the one Fractal I've played with was really great. It's still a far cry from a CaseLabs or other high end case though. Glad you enjoy yours.
 
Given labor costs in LA/CA, that could be a bigger component for costs in the past few years than tariffs/Al supplies.

I had a similar discussion with a buddy concerning the Skyreach Mini and Ncase M1. They come in at a certain quality and price point that costs what it costs. He was like 200 bucks for a case? Eff that... Lol.

Silverstone has me wary after a bad buy at $150 (ds380 itx nas case) and Corsair's 650D was a $180 POS. A $60 rosewill challenger was nothing fancy and yet a better buy than either of those. I'm all for paying for quality but lets be honest, there are a lot of stinkers at the $200+ level too.
 
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Silverstone has me wary after a bad buy at $150 (ds380 itx nas case) and Corsair's 650D was a $180 POS. A $60 rosewill challenger was nothing fancy and yet a better buy than either of those. I'm all for paying for quality but lets be honest, there are a lot of stinkers at the $200+ level too.

Yeah the big guys seem to throw tempered glass , RGB and other flavor of the month crap into an otherwise cheaper box and jack up the price. Boutique cases in my experience with just a few have been of a higher quality for the price point.

Corsair and Fractal have been really good in builds I’ve done with under 100 per case. Personally I think Fractal has the best cases for the price out there.
 
Got some people with their head in the sand in this thread for sure.

Which is more likely to go away sooner, this president with his racist and ideological agendas or all of the people and ideologic beliefs he disagrees with?

*sigh*

Just because none of you are going to be around to benefit from a true globalist end game doesn't mean you have to slow it the fuck down. Think of the generations that will follow and how they benefit from a united Earth.
 
Got some people with their head in the sand in this thread for sure.

Which is more likely to go away sooner, this president with his racist and ideological agendas or all of the people and ideologic beliefs he disagrees with?

*sigh*

Just because none of you are going to be around to benefit from a true globalist end game doesn't mean you have to slow it the fuck down. Think of the generations that will follow and how they benefit from a united Earth.
Queue big speech by Relena Peacecraft to Earth and the Colonies...

Back on topic, sounds like they made a bad agreement with their supplier, where they couldn't simply break ties with them and go to another supplier. If they were a larger company, they could have just made a new contract with another supplier and took a loss, but being a small business with tight margins and a small customer base, that's not really an option.
 
This is happening to several companies who rely on long term steel supply contracts. I was just reading about a medical tool manufacture that is planning on laying off 250 employees because they no longer have access to ULC (ultra low carbon... steel with extremely low ferroalloy impurities) and the US government wont grant them an exception to continue importing materials. While I am a big proponent of eliminating trade tariffs, you have to understand how business works before you go banging your war drums. Most of these contracts and pricing have been developed over long periods of time. Delivery times are usually scheduled 3-6 months in advance and even if there was a domestic supplier (which there isn't for things like ULC) it takes months for supply to be generated. Most companies can't shut down for 1-3 months waiting for supplies, let alone spend the extra money (because you still owe for the international steel and now you have pay for some domestic provider <which will cost even more>). It's a clusterfuck and sadly the people playing games now, haven't clue what is involved in real business.

It's not banned. You just have to pay extra for it. It's to bring it to more even footing with products produced here.

I'm not a big fan of trump. In fact I didn't vote for him. But I didn't vote for Hillary either. But I do believe in bringing manufacturing back. For too long the trade balance has been causing us to lose jobs here in the USA and one of the reasons of stagflation and eroding middle class.
 
It's not banned. You just have to pay extra for it. It's to bring it to more even footing with products produced here.

I'm not a big fan of trump. In fact I didn't vote for him. But I didn't vote for Hillary either. But I do believe in bringing manufacturing back. For too long the trade balance has been causing us to lose jobs here in the USA and one of the reasons of stagflation and eroding middle class.

Government shouldn't decide for business what is best for business. That's what "bringing manufacturing back" actually entails.

Everything government touches turns to shit. Regulations are fine to a degree, because businesses will not regulate themselves absent a profit motivator, but manufacturing will either come back on its own or it won't. (It won't.)
 
Government shouldn't decide for business what is best for business. That's what "bringing manufacturing back" actually entails.

Everything government touches turns to shit. Regulations are fine to a degree, because businesses will not regulate themselves absent a profit motivator, but manufacturing will either come back on its own or it won't. (It won't.)

Government represents the people, and does for them what they can't do for themselves.

That's why we have agencies like USDA, FDA, FCC, FTC, ATF, etf...
 
True. One of the best parts of being an American is being able to disagree with the president. Definitely didn’t want Hillary in there either. Pretty rough choice this last election.

Pretty sad times when those two were the best our country had to offer. But when it comes down to it, I'll take Tariffs over outsourcing any day.
 
Tariff increase for the raw aluminum in an expensive case caused the company to fold, HA-HA yea sure. If it really was produced here, material cost was nothing compared to the touch costs.

Seems like if you want an American built case you would have wanted American materials from the get go also.

Yea tariff's are bad maybe we should just drop them all, oh wait an orange tinted fellow suggested that, funny other country's REALLY like their tariffs but ours are bad m'kay.
https://www.businessinsider.com/tru...ll-tariffs-trade-barriers-at-g7-summit-2018-6
 
That is a shame.

I kind of pictured myself owning a CaseLabs case at some point.


They were hideously overpriced though.
 
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