Mobile phone repairs
Discussion
Seems a bit late in the game to be honest...
Around here everyone and his dog is doing it - certainly iphones.
There's a guy around here rattling around in a 1 series BMW with 'The Iphone Fixit Guy' all over it or something.
Yes you can certainly make a bob or two, but really, do you honestly want to deal with the majority of people who bring in damaged phones. We all have them now but the whole mobile culture is dreadful...!
If you know what you're doing, what about more specialist repairs...boiler PCB's seem easy and are FOREVER going wrong it seems..?
Around here everyone and his dog is doing it - certainly iphones.
There's a guy around here rattling around in a 1 series BMW with 'The Iphone Fixit Guy' all over it or something.
Yes you can certainly make a bob or two, but really, do you honestly want to deal with the majority of people who bring in damaged phones. We all have them now but the whole mobile culture is dreadful...!
If you know what you're doing, what about more specialist repairs...boiler PCB's seem easy and are FOREVER going wrong it seems..?
Have written off two iPhone screens in the last six months. There's a shop round the corner from the office that replaces them at £60 a go. Takes him about fifteen minutes, and the shop is always busy.
However, this depends on the guy being able to keep the traffic flow, and having the necessary parts. Which can be expensive, particularly if you want to avoid the scenario of "you fitted a dodgy screen/battery/etc and now my phone won't work" that comes with the cheapest stuff on eBay.
However, this depends on the guy being able to keep the traffic flow, and having the necessary parts. Which can be expensive, particularly if you want to avoid the scenario of "you fitted a dodgy screen/battery/etc and now my phone won't work" that comes with the cheapest stuff on eBay.
Shirt587 said:
Have written off two iPhone screens in the last six months. There's a shop round the corner from the office that replaces them at £60 a go. Takes him about fifteen minutes, and the shop is always busy.
However, this depends on the guy being able to keep the traffic flow, and having the necessary parts. Which can be expensive, particularly if you want to avoid the scenario of "you fitted a dodgy screen/battery/etc and now my phone won't work" that comes with the cheapest stuff on eBay.
Thats the trick. Working from home and doing it in the evenings means hassle for people finding you and being bothered to take their other time in the evenings to get it done.However, this depends on the guy being able to keep the traffic flow, and having the necessary parts. Which can be expensive, particularly if you want to avoid the scenario of "you fitted a dodgy screen/battery/etc and now my phone won't work" that comes with the cheapest stuff on eBay.
colin81 said:
Ok, i work full time but i am looking for a side line for extra income that is cheap to start up. Any ideas?
And therein lies the problem - everybody is.And if its cheap to start up, rest assured every man and his dog will be at it, and it'll be a race to the bottom on price.
There are exceptions of course, but they're rare and usually short lived as everyone else jumps on the bandwagon.
Oh, and you're having to deal with a bunch of lying irrational weasels - the general public.
daemon said:
colin81 said:
Ok, i work full time but i am looking for a side line for extra income that is cheap to start up. Any ideas?
And therein lies the problem - everybody is.And if its cheap to start up, rest assured every man and his dog will be at it, and it'll be a race to the bottom on price.
There are exceptions of course, but they're rare and usually short lived as everyone else jumps on the bandwagon.
Oh, and you're having to deal with a bunch of lying irrational weasels - the general public.
Buy and sell the odd car? You probably know a bit about cars, one car could be a few hundred pounds profit
daemon said:
colin81 said:
Ok, i work full time but i am looking for a side line for extra income that is cheap to start up. Any ideas?
And therein lies the problem - everybody is.And if its cheap to start up, rest assured every man and his dog will be at it, and it'll be a race to the bottom on price...
What you are looking for is something where there is a barrier to entry, but a barrier that you can overcome more easily than your competition. The best barrier is money, but if you don't have much yourself then it is probably going to be knowledge. What do you know how to do that most people don't? And which, rather importantly, they will pay someone to do?
An alternative approach is to pick something that people want done but don't want to do themselves, gardening is a good one if you live in a suitable area.
Guy down the high street done my mums iPhone screen for 15. The race to the bottom is on. Dont join in. The caravan type seem to be over charging and ripping people off for drive cleaning. Charge a reasonable fee. Theyll move on.
Do some dog walking. Plenty of elderly people pay for there dog to be walked. Most are in the afternoon, im sure some wouldnt mind a dog walk at 7-8 so it sleeps all night and keeps you fit. Hell, turn it into a full on business, walk n wash. Not only do they enjoy getting in a state, they come back clean for an extra charge.
Pudding delivery. I sat just last night wanting something for pudding, but shes on a diet so nothings in the house. Id have phoned out a pudding service if one existed.
Hell, if you really need extra money, go deliver pizzas. Theyll pay cash and just do it a few nights a week.
Thats me plum out of ideas for you. Ill have a banana ice cream split please, delivered around 7pm.
Do some dog walking. Plenty of elderly people pay for there dog to be walked. Most are in the afternoon, im sure some wouldnt mind a dog walk at 7-8 so it sleeps all night and keeps you fit. Hell, turn it into a full on business, walk n wash. Not only do they enjoy getting in a state, they come back clean for an extra charge.
Pudding delivery. I sat just last night wanting something for pudding, but shes on a diet so nothings in the house. Id have phoned out a pudding service if one existed.
Hell, if you really need extra money, go deliver pizzas. Theyll pay cash and just do it a few nights a week.
Thats me plum out of ideas for you. Ill have a banana ice cream split please, delivered around 7pm.
Interesting in hearing its a race to the bottom.
Chap that was one of my neighbours set up this http://ipatchipods.com/about.php
He used to park his very pleasant DB9 a few down from me in the apartment car park so (usual rich bank of mum and dad exclusions apply) he seemed to be doing alright for himself. Scaled the business nicely and it looks a slick operation with some young staff who know doubt grew up in the tech world able to allow for a decent margin. I noticed he had also set up another within the exit of a nearby supermarket which seemed a good synergy for the demographic.
Outside of Apple themselves discouraging it, I can't see why he couldn't continue to expand it, even as a franchise.
Chap that was one of my neighbours set up this http://ipatchipods.com/about.php
He used to park his very pleasant DB9 a few down from me in the apartment car park so (usual rich bank of mum and dad exclusions apply) he seemed to be doing alright for himself. Scaled the business nicely and it looks a slick operation with some young staff who know doubt grew up in the tech world able to allow for a decent margin. I noticed he had also set up another within the exit of a nearby supermarket which seemed a good synergy for the demographic.
Outside of Apple themselves discouraging it, I can't see why he couldn't continue to expand it, even as a franchise.
Shnozz said:
Interesting in hearing its a race to the bottom.
Chap that was one of my neighbours set up this http://ipatchipods.com/about.php
He used to park his very pleasant DB9 a few down from me in the apartment car park so (usual rich bank of mum and dad exclusions apply) he seemed to be doing alright for himself. Scaled the business nicely and it looks a slick operation with some young staff who know doubt grew up in the tech world able to allow for a decent margin. I noticed he had also set up another within the exit of a nearby supermarket which seemed a good synergy for the demographic.
He has a USP though - hes been in the game a long time, uses genuine apple parts and has city centre / town centre retail outlet(s). Hes got a bit of branding going on, and employing staff. People will pay a premium for that.Chap that was one of my neighbours set up this http://ipatchipods.com/about.php
He used to park his very pleasant DB9 a few down from me in the apartment car park so (usual rich bank of mum and dad exclusions apply) he seemed to be doing alright for himself. Scaled the business nicely and it looks a slick operation with some young staff who know doubt grew up in the tech world able to allow for a decent margin. I noticed he had also set up another within the exit of a nearby supermarket which seemed a good synergy for the demographic.
Working part time in the evenings from your home and advertising off of gumtree, then you're competing with everyone else doing the same thing thus your only differentiator is price.
Shnozz said:
Outside of Apple themselves discouraging it, I can't see why he couldn't continue to expand it, even as a franchise.
Even though hes been set up in a physical store since 2011 and has plans to open in "other cities across the uk as soon as possible", that expansion plan doesnt seem to be getting much traction? And why would anyone take on a franchise? You can buy all the bits off of ebay / the far east websites and the guides are all available online. Why would anyone want a middle man when the margins are thin as is.
Edited by daemon on Friday 23 June 15:11
daemon said:
Shnozz said:
Interesting in hearing its a race to the bottom.
Chap that was one of my neighbours set up this http://ipatchipods.com/about.php
He used to park his very pleasant DB9 a few down from me in the apartment car park so (usual rich bank of mum and dad exclusions apply) he seemed to be doing alright for himself. Scaled the business nicely and it looks a slick operation with some young staff who know doubt grew up in the tech world able to allow for a decent margin. I noticed he had also set up another within the exit of a nearby supermarket which seemed a good synergy for the demographic.
He has a USP though - hes been in the game a long time, uses genuine apple parts and has city centre / town centre retail outlet(s). Hes got a bit of branding going on, and employing staff. People will pay a premium for that.Chap that was one of my neighbours set up this http://ipatchipods.com/about.php
He used to park his very pleasant DB9 a few down from me in the apartment car park so (usual rich bank of mum and dad exclusions apply) he seemed to be doing alright for himself. Scaled the business nicely and it looks a slick operation with some young staff who know doubt grew up in the tech world able to allow for a decent margin. I noticed he had also set up another within the exit of a nearby supermarket which seemed a good synergy for the demographic.
Working part time in the evenings from your home and advertising off of gumtree, then you're competing with everyone else doing the same thing thus your only differentiator is price.
Shnozz said:
Outside of Apple themselves discouraging it, I can't see why he couldn't continue to expand it, even as a franchise.
Even though hes been set up in a physical store since 2011 and has plans to open in "other cities across the uk as soon as possible", that expansion plan doesnt seem to be getting much traction? And why would anyone take on a franchise? You can buy all the bits off of ebay / the far east websites and the guides are all available online. Why would anyone want a middle man when the margins are thin as is.
Edited by daemon on Friday 23 June 15:11
I'm sure that margins are small, and competition with a local market stall probably means they always will be. However, my post was really to emphasise that you don't need to reinvent the wheel - in Andy's case I am sure there were many market stall traders already doing phone repairs for buttons, but he did create a brand in doing the same thing and marketed it well. No reason why someone couldn't replicate. As a cottage industry though as a bloke working in his bedroom, less so unless you can offer some sort of other USP - collection and delivery say (and to avoid then dispelling the myth of working in your pants at home)
Shnozz said:
I think you answered your own question re the franchise possibility in the first point you raise - he has a USP and a bit of a brand - probably insufficient at this stage to give rise to the opportunity to sell it as a franchise but was only my idle thought.
I'm sure that margins are small, and competition with a local market stall probably means they always will be. However, my post was really to emphasise that you don't need to reinvent the wheel - in Andy's case I am sure there were many market stall traders already doing phone repairs for buttons, but he did create a brand in doing the same thing and marketed it well. No reason why someone couldn't replicate. As a cottage industry though as a bloke working in his bedroom, less so unless you can offer some sort of other USP - collection and delivery say (and to avoid then dispelling the myth of working in your pants at home)
Agreed. Though with collection and delivery you have to get people to trust a complete stranger on gumtree coming to your house and you handing them your iphone.I'm sure that margins are small, and competition with a local market stall probably means they always will be. However, my post was really to emphasise that you don't need to reinvent the wheel - in Andy's case I am sure there were many market stall traders already doing phone repairs for buttons, but he did create a brand in doing the same thing and marketed it well. No reason why someone couldn't replicate. As a cottage industry though as a bloke working in his bedroom, less so unless you can offer some sort of other USP - collection and delivery say (and to avoid then dispelling the myth of working in your pants at home)
I'd say that guy you linked to probably does quite well for himself, and yes its probably repeatable however (unless you pay someone handsomely to come work for you) you cant buy the experience he has. Also, he got in at the right time and has himself established and the brand built. Doing that now would take time and money, particularly if you wanted to open a retail unit (which makes up a big part of his differentiator from some bloke working from home or from a market stall).
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