Even if you haven't lived through the era of feature phones, the saying "Nokia can crack walnuts" is likely something you've heard before.
Some Nokia feature phones indeed had the strength to crack walnuts, but this saying is more of a testament to their durability.
Yes, that's right. Despite today's smartphones boasting about their drop resistance, they still can't quite match up to the durability of those old feature phones.
Moreover, due to the more integrated assembly of smartphones, the likelihood of internal issues occurring is relatively higher.
Source: Internet
So, surrounding the maintenance and repair of various electronic products such as smartphones, another hot business has emerged.
However, there's a "but" from Xiao Lei. The repair and maintenance of electronic products are not as simple as they seem, and there are some hidden tricks involved.
Recently, Xiao Lei noticed something interesting – the repair costs for some smartphones have become exorbitant, to the point where you could buy two new phones for the same price!
After all, this concerns everyone's vital interests. Today, Xiao Lei is going to discuss the ins and outs of these sky-high repair costs for electronic products.
Mrs. Wang's iPhone malfunctioned on April 4th, prompting her to search for nearby Apple authorized repair shops on a search engine. Opting for a prominent link in the search results, she engaged in a conversation via the "China (Apple) Repair Service Center" interface. Following the guidance provided, Mrs. Wang proceeded to the recommended store for repairs, setting the stage for what unfolded next.
Source: Changjiang Cloud News
After inspection, the staff informed Ms. Wang that the mainboard of her cellphone was burnt out. The repair cost would be 2198 CNY.
Upon hearing the quote, Ms. Wang felt it was a bit pricey, but still decided to have the staff repair it to see if it would work.
However, shortly after, the staff informed her that the phone's chipset was also damaged. If she wanted to recover the data, she would need to replace the chipset.
There were 750 chips that needed replacement, each costing 15 CNY. Ms. Wang stated that they should try repairing the old chips first before considering new ones.
After some more work, the staff reported that the mainboard was repaired and the chips were replaced, but the total cost came to over 14,000 CNY!
Ms. Wang purchased this phone for over 7000 CNY, and now the repair cost is twice the purchase price, which she finds unacceptable.
The repair shop suggested a compromise, offering a 40% discount on the repair cost, meaning Ms. Wang would need to pay over 8000 CNY.
With both parties at a stalemate, Ms. Wang had no choice but to pawn her phone to the repair shop and pay an additional 500 CNY before leaving the scene.
Subsequently, Ms. Wang opted to report the incident to the police. However, the authorities stated that this matter falls outside their jurisdiction and should be handled by the market supervision department.
Source: Yangtze Cloud News
Frustrated, Ms. Wang sought the help of a reporter. After repeated negotiations with the reporter, the repair shop finally relented.
Ms. Wang, on top of the 500 CNY already paid, had to pay an additional 1800 CNY for the repair cost to retrieve her discounted iPhone.
The repair shop insisted that this was already the cost price for the repair. They refused to negotiate further and wouldn't refund the phone either.
So, in the end, Ms. Wang ended up paying 2300 CNY for the repair, not to mention the time and effort she invested. It's indeed a bit of a loss.
Little Lei also checked the repair prices for Ms. Wang's phone on the official Apple website, estimating the highest cost to be 4399 CNY.
Well, compare that to the official estimate and the repair shop's quote of over 14,000 CNY. The difference is quite substantial, isn't it?
Source: Apple Official Website
Revealing the Sky-High Electronic Repair Scam
Ms. Wang's distressing ordeal has come to an end, but the story isn't over yet. Little Lei saw many similar experiences on complaint platforms.
Many people encounter "price assassins" when they take their phones and other electronic devices to repair shops.
The repair costs range from a few thousand to tens of thousands, and the kicker is that the price of the machine itself isn't that high. The repair fees could practically buy a new device.
Moreover, after the quote is given post-repair, the staff have already put in the "labor," so whether you agree to pay or not, you're at a loss.
Image Source: Black Cat Complaints
The scheme behind this is not hard to grasp, and the "sky-high repair scam" starts with the links from search engines.
Many victims of the sky-high repair scam directly search online for official repair shops for devices like phones and electronics.
The links that rank high often mix official websites with many unofficial ones that closely resemble official sites at first glance.
Well, these are not the manufacturer's official repair shops; once we start contacting them, we're hooked.
Image Source: Search Engine
Due to their intricacy, many ordinary consumers have little understanding of the internal structure of electronic devices such as smartphones.
So, when a device malfunctions, many people simply believe the repair personnel when they identify a problem, creating a significant information gap.
This sometimes results in situations where hardware like A isn't actually faulty, but ends up being stamped as such by repair technicians, leaving us unwittingly footing the repair bill.
However, hardware repairs usually come with clear pricing, and if it's too expensive, you can refuse. But when it comes to software and data, that's another story.
You see, many people don't have the habit of backing up their data regularly. Once the data on devices like phones gets damaged, it's a disaster.
But the pricing for "data repairs" is often opaque. It's difficult to define how much has been fixed and to what extent...
And data repairs often reveal the final price only after the job is done. Voilà, that's how the "price assassin" emerges!
When the "price assassin" appears, the parties involved either admit defeat or spend time and effort seeking help from relevant authorities.
But come to think of it, everyone's original intention was just to get a phone repaired, so why get tangled up in such trouble?
Preventing betrayal
Avoiding being betrayed by "electronic product repair price assassins" isn't difficult, folks, just follow Xiao Lei's lead.
First and foremost, it's crucial to find the right official after-sales repair store.
Generally, information can be found on the warranty card, official public account, and website included in the electronic product packaging.
Image Source: Apple Official Website
Next, after selecting the genuine official repair shop, it's essential to inquire about the repair costs and only proceed if they are acceptable to you.
Xiao Lei suggests that it's best to keep a close eye on the repair process while in the store, which further enhances the level of assurance.
Although many people may not understand the technical aspects, if the technician tries any sneaky tricks like swapping parts, it can still be noticed.
Finally, if you encounter any disputes with repair shops, whether they are official or third-party, don't hesitate to seek assistance. Report to the authorities and regulatory agencies if necessary. It's essential to protect your legitimate rights and interests.
Hopefully, after reading today's article, everyone can be more cautious in similar situations to avoid being taken advantage of!
Source of cover image: Apple official website
