Why are people relying more on repair shops?

TDT | Manama                         

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Zahra Ayaz

With online shopping becoming the norm, getting a replacement can be quick, but many people in Bahrain still seem interested in having their electronic item repaired. Residents have access to many repair shops in any well-known market’s bylanes, where they can get things fixed like phones, laptops, and even luxury car keys.

Many shopkeepers also believe that customers are willing to spend more money repairing a mobile phone than it is worth just because they have years of memories stored in it. Although new devices are readily available, some prefer to have their old ones repaired.

"Since I’ve been working in this field for about 15 years, I’ve noticed a rise in the need for repairs," said Muhammed, who owns Al Han Mobile Shop. "When it comes to personal data, people are typically possessive and protective.

Even though they may have had the phone for a long time and it may only be worth BD150 right now, they are still willing to spend additional money on it in order to maintain their data.

No matter how wealthy or poor they are, the most essential thing is their data." Speaking about laptops and desktops, Muhammed said that the reasons people reach out to repair shops are slightly different.

"A lot of people come to us to upgrade their laptops and increase their speed," he said. Instead of spending hundreds of dinars on a new laptop, people can enjoy better performance on their old one thanks to our repairs and upgrades.

Speaking to The Daily Tribune, Bilal, a worker at IQRA’s Phone, said: "At least five to six consumers come every day to have their phones fixed." "The majority of people now carry two phones: one newer phone that they might use daily and an older phone that contains all of their personal information but they don’t want to sell," he said.

Ranaaz Shaikh, who frequently visits to have his phone fixed, told The Daily Tribune: "My phone’s screen has broken twice before, and I came here to fix it. If I buy a new one, a nice phone will set me back more than BD250. The old one, however, will only cost me between 40 and 50 BD to repair."

Joel Johnson, another consumer, stated: "My phone does not charge properly, and it takes over an hour to charge; when I use it in the car, it heats up quickly. I would rather give the phone to a local store because it will be cheaper for me, and I can’t afford to buy a phone every six to twelve months."