FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
General
How long have you been here?
We have been open as Repair Dat since 2011, although we have experience dating back all the way to 2005 under a different business that the owner sold before opening this one.
Do you have other stores?
We currently have only one location, here in Luling, LA. There are currently no plans of expanding.
What do you repair?
We specialize mainly in iPhone repair, but we also repair iPads, smartphones, tablets, Windows and Mac computers, smart wearables, and more. We do not repair home appliances (microwaves, washing machines, etc). With this in mind, if you have some other personal electronics device or something that would fall into a similar category (video game console, GoPro, professional-grade drone, Hoverboard, headphones, etc), we don't normally get in repairs for those items, but we are highly experienced in repairing a range of electronics and may still be able to repair it. Call us today to see if we would be able to repair your electronics.
Is the part you're using an original part?
It depends on the device. For Apple devices, the only place that has original Apple parts is Apple themselves. All third party repair shops use either aftermarket parts or refurbished parts (an original Apple LCD, digitizer, and frame, but a replacement glass). For Samsungs, most of the mainstream models (Galaxy S series and Galaxy Note series) have official service packs available, as well as factory refurbished, refurbished, and aftermarket parts. For LG and Motorola, we have Authorized OEM parts available for most mainstream models, as well as refurbished and aftermarket parts. The best way to know what kind of part you're getting is by asking us when getting your repair done, you can also choose which part you want if it's available.
Do you replace only the glass?
The short answer is for the majority of repairs, no. No phone repair shop does.
How long do the repairs take?
It all depends on the repair. For iPhones, generally it takes an hour for a single repair, plus 30 minutes to an hour for each extra repair on it. For iPads, it usually takes between 1-3 business days as long as we have the parts in stock. For other smartphones or devices, we typically need to order the parts first, and they usually come in within a week. Once we get in the parts, we can usually have your device ready for you that same day. The time it takes can also be affected by how busy we are, the number of employees currently on the clock, other unexpected problems with the device, natural disasters or events, or other factors that we do not have control over. These are typical timeframes, and can change at any time, and as such, we offer time estimates only as a convenience to our customers, not a guarantee that the devices will be finished within that time frame.
Is there a warranty?
For the majority of repairs, yes. We have a limited warranty that covers defects in our parts and workmanship.
Should I come prepared with anything when getting my device repaired?
To get your device repaired as quick as possible with the least hiccups, leave your device turned on, take the case off and keep it with you, make sure you have the password ready on hand to give to us, and have details at the ready of the issues and symptoms you're having with your device. If you're looking to replace the battery, please have it discharged to a lower percentage as a fully charged battery is much more volatile than a discharged one (around ~20% is fine, or a bit higher if it dies at an abnormally high percentage). If your issue is with something other than the battery, please have your device charged up as much as possible.
Pricing
How much is it to repair my device?
It depends. We have some prices listed on our Pricing page, but for anything else, you'll have to call us to get a quote.
What factors affect pricing?
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The complexity of the repair.
Devices that are less complicated to repair cost us less time, and therefore will cost you less money. We also typically give a discount for multiple repairs on the same device since part of the labor on a repair is opening the device, and the device would already be opened.
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The cost of the parts.
Part prices fluctuate drastically over time with factors such as current demand for those parts, availability of parts, popularity of that device, and age of that device.
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The part quality.
When selecting parts to use, we always try to use high quality parts, which may end up making it cost more, but you get a better quality part that works better and lasts longer than their cheaper counterparts.
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The age of your device.
A part is likely to be expensive if the device came out very recently. A part can also be more expensive if the device is a lot older and the parts are harder to find or not made for your device anymore.
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The popularity of your device
Devices that are very popular have a large demand for them, and as such, causes a large supply available from a variety of distributors. Less popular parts are harder to obtain since it does not have an impactful enough market share, and not all of our distributors, if any, will have those parts available. As such, they have more leverage to charge a higher price on those parts than with other parts.