Description
Getting broken items back into working order
Major variations
On-demand repairs versus maintenance contracts. Repairing items using readily available materials versus replacing specialist components only manufactured far away.
Potential impacts
- Keep items in use that would otherwise go to waste or landfill
- Enable people to keep using items that they perhaps could not afford to replace
- Keeping local industry or businesses functioning and productive – economic impacts in the community
- Reduce energy and material usage due to increasing the life span of items
Advantages
- In most places there will be demand for the repair of some type of item, and it can benefit the community a lot to offer it
Challenges
- A wide range of skills may be needed depending on how different the items brought to you for repair are.
- Some spare parts may be difficult to get hold of, and the unpredictability of demand can make keeping stock expensive.
- For some items, mass produced new equivalents can be so cheap that the labour intensive approach of repairing old ones is uneconomic.
Business model canvas
Key partners
- Repair Café movement
- ASK Network (open source repair toolkit)
- Suppliers of components and spare parts
- Look for partners who can help you with any of the items that would otherwise be costs: e.g. community centres or libraries who might let you use their space
Key activities
- Advertising
- Repairing
- Ensuring parts availability
Key resources
- Repair skills
- Tools & equipment
Value propositions
- Ability to use the item or device again (whether for personal use, or in income generating activities)
- Cost savings over buying a new item
- Reduce waste and the number of items going to landfill
- Convenience – being able to get something working quickly
Customer relationships
- Service relationship
- Co-creation – repairing things alongside the customer and transferring skills at the same time
Channels
- Social media & local advertising to individuals
- Word of mouth & referrals
- Build relationships with organisations
Customer segments
- People with broken items
- Organisations with broken items
- Organisations who provide items to others that they want kept in good repair
- Charities or other organisations that want to support device repair
Cost structure
- Time
- Components
- Tools & equipment
- Inventory carrying cost
- Space where repairs are carried out
- Advertising or marketing costs
Revenue streams
- Charge for repairs (by time spent or per item)
- Charge for spare parts
- Charge an annual fee for maintenance
- Ask for voluntary contributions (tips / pay what you can)
- Vol
Complementary models
