The Short Version
In the spirit of full transparency towards my customers, I have made the difficult decision to scale back my operations. For now, I will be reducing my schedule to 3 days per week, with a long-term plan to eventually move away from consumer electronics repair entirely. This is due to a combination of restrictive changes in the repair industry and business sustainability.
The Long Version
Since starting TechBuddy in 2018, I have genuinely enjoyed meeting my customers, building this business, and learning an incredible amount along the way. However, the repair industry has shifted dramatically, and maintaining “repair as a service” has become increasingly difficult.
The “Right to Repair” Problem In the past, electronics were generally repairable: we identified the fault, found the part, and replaced it. Today, manufacturers are actively monopolizing the repair process to lock out third-party technicians like myself. They do this through:
- Part Pairing/Serialization: Chips are often encrypted with digital “keys” that handshake with other parts of the device. If you replace the part without the manufacturer’s software, the device rejects it.
- Part Scarcity: Essential components are often sold only to the manufacturer, keeping them off the public market.
- Information Blackouts: A lack of public schematics, board views, or diagnostic software makes troubleshooting significantly harder.
This means that even if I can identify exactly what is wrong, I frequently cannot complete the repair because of software locks or unavailable parts.
The Business Reality
While I have been busy with an abundance of jobs, the nature of these repairs has changed. The majority of items I service now require complex, time-consuming diagnosis. When a repair becomes impossible due to the manufacturer restrictions mentioned above—rather than a lack of skill or effort—it creates a situation where significant time is invested without a successful outcome.
There is also a natural “ceiling” on consumer electronics repair—most customers understandably don’t want to spend more than the device is worth to fix it. When you combine that price cap with the increased difficulty and time required to bypass manufacturer restrictions, the business model becomes unsustainable. I am finding that I am trading increasingly large amounts of time for diminishing returns on successful repairs.
Examples of the Problem
To show you exactly what we are up against, here are a few technical examples of how manufacturers are locking us out:
- Microsoft (Xbox Series S/X): The SSD contains a hidden partition with special keys that handshake with the motherboard. These keys are “rolling,” meaning they change every time you update the console. If your SSD dies, those keys are lost. Even if we install a new SSD, it won’t work because it lacks those specific keys. Microsoft designed this so you must go to them for service.
- Nintendo (Switch): The onboard storage (eMMC) is also keyed to the console. If the eMMC fails, a replacement won’t have the necessary keys for online play. While we can sometimes restore offline functionality, the console loses the ability to use the eShop or play online without the original factory keys.
- Sony (PlayStation 5): The PS5 storage is made up of a custom controller and multiple NAND chips. Three of these chips contain paired data. If any one of them fails, the only official option is Sony. Sourcing replacement NANDs is difficult, requires harvesting from donor boards, and involves complex BGA microsoldering—often with only a 50/50 chance of success if we can’t identify exactly which NAND failed.
- Laptops: Manufacturers like Dell, HP, and Lenovo rarely release schematics. They increasingly use proprietary chips with custom code. If those chips die, the board is unrepairable by a third party.
What’s Next?
I love my customers and I take pride in my skills, but fighting this uphill battle is leading to burnout. I feel restricted in this space and believe it is time to alter my business model or move on to new challenges.
I am not closing the doors immediately, but my availability will be limited as I figure out what the next chapter looks like. Thank you to everyone who has supported TechBuddy thus far.