A customer in Austin said they'd rather buy a new laptop than pay for a repair

I was fixing a screen for a guy yesterday, and he told me straight up he'd just toss the whole machine if the quote went over 200 bucks. Said a new one is 'cheaper and faster.' It got me thinking about how many decent machines we're seeing get junked for simple fixes. A few years back, people would fight to keep a computer running for a decade. Now, with everything so glued together and hard to open, the math often points to replacement. It feels like part of our job is shifting from fixing things to helping people decide when to let go. How do you guys handle that talk when you know the repair is worth it but the customer just sees a big number?

2 comments

2 Comments

palmer.henry4d ago

Honestly, the part about helping people decide when to let go really hits home. Tbh it's tough when you know you could fix it but they just see the price tag. Feels like you're fighting against how everything's built now.

thead444d ago

But I see it as a win when they choose to let go. It frees up their money and time for something they actually value. The fight is trying to make them see that.