(Credit: Getty Images / Ming Yeung)
So many Amazon customers are returning Apple's "FineWoven" iPhone cases that the e-commerce giant now displays a warning message on the case's product listing page.
The message, which appears in an orange box with a triangle symbol, states: "Frequently returned item. Check the product details and customer reviews to learn more about this item." Amazon first started using these warnings across the site last year.
A Threads user noticed the warning on Thursday, which was first reported by 9to5Mac.
Apple's $59 FineWoven iPhone cases launched last year alongside the iPhone 15 as a replacement for leather products in Apple's accessory lineup. The material also appears on Apple Watch bands and MagSafe wallets, neither of which current have the "frequently returned" label.
Following their launch, the iPhone cases were criticized as "categorically terrible" and "horrible quality." While they do have some positive reviews, there are plenty of negative ones.
As of Friday morning, Amazon's official Apple iPhone 15 FineWoven case listing holds a customer review score of 3.6 out of 5 stars, with 117 ratings. While 50% of customer reviews give it 5 stars, 22% give it just one star. Amazon's summary of the reviews states, among other details, that some buyers have had issues with the case getting scratched.
"The phone EATS scratches," one anonymous Amazon reviewer writes. "I'm talking you put it in your pocket ONCE and the thing comes out completely scratched."
Other Amazon customers dubbed the case "total junk," "ugly," and "the biggest waste of money in my life." Multiple Amazon reviewers call for Apple to bring back its leather cases, which it discontinued citing sustainability concerns.
Tech writer John Gruber's recent poll on whether Apple's FineWoven iPhone cases hold up over time received over 7,000 votes this week across multiple social media platforms. Overall, 53% of respondents said the FineWoven iPhone case is a "piece of junk," while just 21% said it's "held up well" after a few months of use. The rest said it held up just OK.
Last year, iPhone 15 Pro users complained that the phone's titanium exterior was prone to showing fingerprints that could temporarily change the color of the metal. Apple told users to simply wipe their phones with "soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth" to resolve the issue.
Regardless of how you feel about Apple's FineWoven material, Amazon wants you to know that these phone cases are being returned a lot, so be sure to do your research before buying a new iPhone case.