A Brief History of the Right to Repair

Do you remember the time when the tech companies used to provide a manual along with their products? Like a handbook that had all the schematics to show the user how the product was put together. So he could tinkle with it himself or contact the third party for his repair emergencies. Well, that’s not the case anymore!

Sadly, those golden days, when consumers had easy access to the repair resources for their electronic devices, are gone. In contemporary times, they can’t contact the manufacturing company and expect them to share the schematics, instructions, or tools related to their devices. The ones that they bought from them and now own!

It all started in 2016 when John Deere, an agricultural equipment manufacturing company, sabotaged the farmers’ right to repair their equipment. Big tech companies followed the madness soon after. Apple’s name is in the frontline.

Many modern tech companies have taken consumers’ right to repair. They have locked all the repair resources (schematics, instructions, parts, and tools) down. Not only from the consumers but from other repair centers as well. So the users have to go to the manufacturer to get their devices repaired. That’s their only option. And guess what their big plan is when a user walks in to get a repair service from them? To charge the customer with an unreasonably high price. Or even worse, to trick him into buying a new one instead of getting the old one repaired.

The cellphone and computer repair industry is going down!

This whole thing is putting the cellphone and repair businesses in a tight spot. Apple and other tech companies are allowing the repairs of their devices to only numbered service providers. They will set the prices for repairs. They will decide who and where the so-called authorized repair service providers are. So basically, they are going after a repair monopoly. The ones they authorize will run their businesses on manufacturers’ terms. The rest can pack their repair businesses and go home!

Right to Repair Combat

The consumers, who purchase cellphones, computers, and other electronic gadgets from the tech companies, are speaking up for their right to repair their devices. So they can get quick repair services from local cellphone and computer repair stores. As a cellphone and computer repair store owner, who has suffered in the hands of these tech companies, you can join hands with the others. Organizations like repair.org and iFixit are providing platforms for people to raise their voices. They are taking public votes in favor of a right to repair act.

We, at RepairDesk, care about you and your repair business. Standing with you in this difficult hour, we are offering our repair POS software to help you in your repair business workflow. You can always contact us and use our services in a free 14-days trial. We are in this together folks!