How to Increase Device Sales in your Repair Store

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to selling devices in your repair store. There are many variables you have to consider when purchasing devices for your customers such as, model, price-point, condition, and more. Without considering your target audience, you might run into issues deciding what devices to stock, how many you should keep in your store, or how to display them. That’s why we’ve asked three device superstars, Michael Oberdick from iOutlet, Mick Ventocilla from Lakeshore Tech Repair, and Kyle Wainwright from Wireless Refresh to share their secrets in order to increase device sales in their stores.

Michael Oberdick has been in the repair industry for over six years! You may have seen him at various conferences and on the repair Facebook groups. Michael is the owner of iOutlet, Device Renew, and Elevate Supply. Michael sells hundreds of devices in his stores every month and is an overall device selling rock star.

Mick Ventocilla is a prominent member in the repair community and started his repair business at a very young age. Along with focusing repair, Mick sells hundreds of devices in his store yearly.

Kyle Wainwright has over ten years in the wireless space, ranging from retail repair to buying and selling wireless devices. Kyle currently oversees the procurement and sales division of Wireless Refresh and has helped many retail repair stores increase their overall device sales.

What do you do in your store to help sell devices?

Michael Oberdick: We use In-store displays to show off our devices. Facebook Marketplace has been a huge avenue to post listings and drive sales. We make sure our team is incentivized to sell devices. Asking for referrals helps quite a bit too. Team members should also understand the functionality of all devices available so they are able to sell the device efficiently.

Kyle Wainwright: First and foremost, you must become known for having devices. If a customer is in for a repair and you only have a couple of devices on the shelf, you may not be their first thought when it comes time for them to replace their device. A case with only a few devices is not going to stick in someone's memory as much as it would if you had 20-30 devices to choose from. Consistency is key to creating a successful channel of device sales. Here are some tips:

• Make buyback a part of your closing pitch
• Include a brochure with all of your offerings along with a $20 off device purchase or $10 off your next repair coupon at the end of every transaction
• Post or re-post 5 listings a day on Facebook Marketplace (this is huge! We have seen stores with a 10k increase in device sales in one month just by doing this)
• Build your brand around device sales AND repair
• Carry flip phones (no, I'm not joking. You can easily hit a 200% profit on flip phones)
• Have a variety of phones from $100 or less, $300, and $301+ along with both Apple and Android devices

What does your device display look like?

Michael Oberick: We built most of our device displays and paired them with laptop locks from Amazon and other phone/tablet security displays. Allowing the customer to interact with the device is a must.

Mick Ventocilla: Our device display is small because we are a 350 square foot store. We have 20 total phones in the display including roughly 3-4 Samsungs, which have been decent sellers for us. We also try to keep at least one Apple Watch and 2 iPads in the display. We like a 10-1 ratio with phone to iPad because this has been the most successful for us.

Michael Oberdick: Confidence is key. If the team member is confident in the item they’re selling, the customer will be confident in purchasing it. Eye contact and listening to the customer’s needs are also very important. Saying things like “you deserve this upgrade” or “with the way technology is moving these days, this device will keep you on top of it.”

Michael Oberdick: We see many different types of customers at our locations. College and high school students are some of our most frequent customers. Having a good selection of phones, tablets, and computers will ensure all potential customers are satisfied.

Kyle Wainwright: When customers come in to get their phone fixed, they want a solution. If we couldn't fix it, we would try to sell them a pre-owned device. We would also get a lot of customers looking to switch to a prepaid service that would require them to supply their own phone.

Michael Oberdick: Cases and tempered glass are the most successful attachments. One of the best ways to help improve those numbers is by packaging the cost together and pitching it to the consumer as one overall price. It also sets budget expectations right off the bat. Remember, it’s easier to work down a mountain than up it. Suggesting that we want to ensure the customer’s investment is fully protected goes a long way.

Mick Ventocilla: We carry a mix of name brand and generic cases with good labels and packaging. We never want to appear cheap, but we always want to be the middle of the road option for the customer. We always focus on how to build value within the ticket so the customer feels comfortable buying a device from us. We have a display that shows the complimentary with a device purchase.Those include free data transfer, free setup, 30 day hardware warranty, and lifetime activation warranty. By building this value, we are able to gain that trust and friendship with the customer.

Michael Oberdick: Aside from Facebook Marketplace, we are definitely driving a lot of device sales from Facebook Ads. Creating an accurate audience to target your ideal customers is crucial.

Mick Ventocilla: We run a $1,000 budget per month on Facebook and $500 on Google per month. We find that to be awesome and it drives a lot of business for us. Building value with your customer is the key to closing them on the device sale. If you come off as educated, naturally you win the conversation because you are able to educate them and then they trust you.

Michael Oberdick: The biggest thing I see repair shops missing is used Apple laptops. They have huge margins, but more importantly, it is a product most shops do not carry, so you can set yourself apart.

Kyle Wainwright: Don't sell yourself short! People are buying a device from you because it's on demand. You don't need to discount to garage sale prices to get the sale done. The number one objection that I get from repair shops looking to buy wholesale phones is, "I can't sell it for that in my area." If you establish yourself as a place to go for Devices and Repairs you will get your prices. There are also several other creative ways to get your phone sales up through promotions: phone leasing, buying back their broken phone for extra credit toward a new device, or even attaching a service contract to the phone you are selling them.

As you can see, there are many different approaches you can take for selling devices in your store. It’s important to remember that what works for another location may not work for your market. These device-selling pros have gotten where they are by testing different methods to see what works.

We hope that some of these tips give you inspiration to try new things of your own. Remember, you won’t know which devices sell until you put them in your case! If you’re still hesitant to jump into the deep end, now is the perfect time to try. We’re offering a special promotion on your first device order. Talk to your representative today!