Apple tightly controls who it allows to fix its devices when something goes wrong. However, the list of authorised Apple repair outlets has just increased greatly after news emerged that nearly 1,000 Best Buy stores have been added.
Apple and Best Buy have both announced that nearly 1,000 Best Buy stores are now able to provide Apple-certified repairs, in the process adding 7,600 Apple-approved technicians to the pool. This brings the total number of certified repair outlets throughout the US to 1,800. Apart from these, there are also 270 Apple stores where repairs can be done, taking the total to more than 2,000.
Discussing the Best Buy joint venture, Apple Care Vice President Tara Bunch said that the company is committed to offering the best customer service on Earth. She added that should one of their customers ever require repairs to a device, they want them to have the peace of mind that those repairs are carried out correctly, and safely.
She went on to say: “We’re always looking at how we can reliably expand our network of trained technicians and we’re excited to partner with every Best Buy store so it’s even easier for our customers to find an authorized repair location near them.”
By offering a group of authorised service providers, Apple is able to make sure that only original parts are fitted and to give clients the reassurance that they are getting a repair job that complies with its standards.
The downside is that this is, for all practical purposes, a repair monopoly: Apple and its partners can charge as much as they want to fix your device. They also control the parts that are being used and the prices of those parts.
Best Buy will benefit from the agreement because it will bring a lot of potential customers into its stores, which could boost sales.