Assessment, cheap spares, tough competition make repair market a challenging place. Here's how?
Day 1: 23rd Dec The screen of the mobile phone was broken. The impact must have been very high, I could see the inner layers(!). Since we were in Delhi, we headed to Nehru Place, known for handling exactly this kind of repair. Street vendors and repair shops are concentrated around the central courtyard of Nehru Place, creating a dense, competitive marketplace ecosystem. The first repairer we spoke to has a shop near the exit of the Nehru Enclave metro station. The shop is small-hardly 6’ wide by 5’ deep. But there is a narrow but steep ladder disappearing into the mezzanine above. That is his workspace. He is referred to by others as an Ustad. He trained many boys in this trade of mobile repair. He looks at the mobile, which is a Samsung J2 and atleast 7 to 8 years old. This model is obsolete if you took it to any other market in Delhi. He says it can be fixed for 1000/- INR. We enquire if he can give us another phone in exchange for this old one… He says he doesn't do that, but ...
