UBreakiFix

uBreakiFix
Industry technology repair
Founded 2009
Founder David Reiff and Justin Wetherill
Headquarters Orlando, Florida
Number of locations
 100
Website ubreakifix.com

uBreakiFix is an American electronics repair company based in Orlando, Florida.[1][2] The company has more than 170 locations in 23 states,[3] as well as locations in Canada and Trinidad and Tobago.[4] uBreakiFix was rated 13th fastest-growing company in the 2013 Top 5000 list by Inc. Magazine.[1][5] It was also number 17 on the Florida Fast 100 in 2014.[6] The uBreakiFix franchise repairs cell phones, tablets, desktop computers, iPods, game consoles, laptops and other electronics.[7][8]

History

David Reiff and Justin Wetherill founded uBreakiFix in April 2009.[9] The two knew each other from high school, and they both attended the University of Central Florida.[10][11] The company began in a college dorm room[12] after Wetherill went to Reiff for help in fixing a broken iPhone. Wetherill started by repairing five iPhones he bought. The pair then offered repairs on eBay and Craigslist[13] and repaired around seven phones a day.[14] Four months later, Edward Trujillo joined the team,[15] and they opened their first store.[9] uBreakiFix fixes phones while customers wait.[16] Repairs normally take about thirty minutes.[17] uBreakiFix repairs 350,000 electronic products in a year.[18]

In 2010, uBreakiFix generated $6 million in revenue.[13] The company made $8.5 million in revenue the following year.[14] By 2012, the company had 23 locations with 42 locations planned,[17][14] and made $13.4 million in revenue.[19] In 2013, the company’s revenue grew to $26.47 million.[20] That same year, it began a franchise program to expand the company after opening more than 50 stores.[21]

uBreakiFix was operating 70 stores in the United States when it opened its first location in Canada in Montreal, Quebec in March 2014.[22] In August 2014, the company released ship-to-store in 21 locations, which allowed customer repairs which have to be done out of shop to return to the customer quickly without additional shipping costs.[23] That month the company opened their 85th location in Melbourne, Florida, which was also the 26th Florida location.[24] When the iPhone 6 came out in September 2014, uBreakiFix released videos testing the durability of the phone.[25][26] Also in September, the company participated in the Orlando Brand Madness championship against companies such as Disney and Hard Rock Cafe.[27] By October 2014, when the company opened a location in Fredericksburg, Virginia, uBreakiFix had locations in 17 states, Washington, D.C., Canada, and Trinidad.[4] In December 2014, the company visited the Corning Glass Facilities to make videos about Gorilla Glass and the testing procedures it goes through.[28] The same month, uBreakiFix opened a location in Las Vegas. At that time, the company had over 97 locations.[29]

The company announced it was relocating its headquarters to downtown Orlando, Florida in January 2015. The office space takes the entire second floor of the SunTrust Center.[30]

Operations

Each location is authorized by SquareTrade repair facility.[12] The company pre-orders major devices that launch in order to test repair the devices. Corporate trainers take apart and reassemble the new phones and document the process for employee use. The practice allows for proper repair method training across the organization.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 Susan Lundine (December 8, 2014). "uBreakiFix opens Las Vegas location". Orlando Business Journal. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  2. ↑ Brantley Watson (August 13, 2012). "Broken iPad!? Cracked iPhone Screen!? Relax, Ventura Boulevard's UBreakiFix Is Here to Help". Studio City Patch. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  3. ↑ Anjali Fluker (January 7, 2015). "uBreakiFix establishes downtown Orlando HQ". Orlando Business Journal Online.
  4. 1 2 "uBreakiFix Opens Fredericksburg Location". Fredericksburg today. October 25, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  5. ↑ Susan Lundine (November 21, 2014). "uBreakiFix opens Wichita location". Orlando Business Journal. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  6. ↑ "These are the fastest-growing companies in the Sunshine State". Jacksonville Business Journal. September 19, 2014.
  7. ↑ Marla K. Kuhlman (June 30, 2013). "UBREAKIFIX specializes in smart phone repair". ThisWeek. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  8. ↑ "uBreakiFix". Franchise Biz Directory. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 "David Reiff: uBreakiFix helps bring broken electronics back to life". Orlando Sentinel. October 5, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  10. ↑ Linda Florea (August 9, 2011). "Cellphone on the fritz? Stores will fix while you wait". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Cellphone repair-while-you-wait shops springing up". Chicago Tribune. August 17, 2011. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  12. 1 2 Carrie Rengers (October 20, 2014). "First of three uBreakiFix stores to open at NewMarket Square". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  13. 1 2 "Young Entrepreneurs Take Good Ideas to Successful Start-ups". NBR. September 16, 2011. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  14. 1 2 3 Bill Orben (March 9, 2012). "uBreakiFix to add 42 locations in 2012". Orlando Business Journal. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Fast 50: uBreakiFix". Orlando Business Journal. July 19, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  16. ↑ Barbara White-Sax (April 23, 2012). "While segments shrink, uBreakiFix fills niche". Drug store news.
  17. 1 2 Jane Porter (March 12, 2012). "Five Signs an E-tailer Is Ready to Open a Storefront". Entreprenuer. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  18. ↑ "So. Fla. entrepreneur to open 100th uBreakiFix store". WSVN. June 26, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  19. ↑ Tim Gallen (August 30, 2013). "Cellphone troubles? There's a new store for that". Phoenix Business Journal. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  20. ↑ Susan Lundine (November 21, 2014). "uBreakiFix opens Wichita location". Orlando Business Journal Online.
  21. ↑ "Golden 100 newcomers: uBreakiFix". Orlando Business Journal. August 30, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  22. ↑ Christine Persaud (March 21, 2014). "Gadget Repair Chain uBreakiFix Enters Canada". WiFi HiFi. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  23. ↑ Cindy Barth (August 27, 2014). "uBreakiFix debuts ship-to-store program in 21 locations". Orlando Business Journal. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  24. ↑ Megan Ribbens (August 19, 2014). "uBreakiFix opens new location in Melbourne". Orlando Business Journal. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  25. ↑ Richard Bilbao (September 25, 2014). "Orlando's uBreakiFix tackles Apple's iPhone 'bendgate'". Orlando Business Journal. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  26. ↑ "iPhone 6 Drop Test Proves Prove to Damage". T4 Magazine. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  27. ↑ Megan Ribbens (November 3, 2014). "UCF wins Orlando Brand Madness championship". Orlando Business Journal. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  28. ↑ Juli Clover (December 11, 2014). "New Video Gives Inside Look at Corning's Gorilla Glass Research Facility". Mac Rumors. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  29. ↑ Susan Lundine (December 8, 2014). "uBreakiFix opens Las Vegas location". Orlando Business Journal. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  30. ↑ "uBreakiFix establishes downtown Orlando HQ". Florida Statesman. January 8, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, March 21, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.