From Our President: Repair Instead of Replace

Why is it so complicated and costly to get your computer or phone fixed when it breaks? Too often, your only options are to either use the manufacturer’s preferred repair service (at a possibly inflated price) or buy a new product. That’s because some companies have restricted access to the parts and tools needed to fix their products.

A 2021 CR nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 adults found that a majority have replaced a broken product sooner than they wanted to because they couldn’t find an acceptable repair option. And 84 percent support laws requiring that information and parts be made available to independent services and/or product owners.

CR is working to secure your right to more easily repair the products you own. Last December, we raised consumer voices in an effort that helped pass New York’s Digital Fair Repair Act, giving the state’s residents more choice in how they can get tech products like laptops and phones fixed. It’s the first law in the U.S. that puts this power back into consumers’ hands.

But we can’t stop there. All Americans deserve more control over the technology they rely on. And even New York’s groundbreaking legislation doesn’t cover appliances like washing machines and refrigerators.

In “Save More—and Waste Less—All Around the House,” CR shares practical tips for extending the life of your products, like replacing the battery in your smartphone, and finding other ways to save (while wasting less as well). We’re also mobilizing consumers to support establishing the right to repair for all Americans. You can help urge state and federal lawmakers to take action by signing our petition, “Everyone Deserves the Right to Repair!”

Together, we can loosen the grip of companies on the products you purchase, putting control of your tech in your own hands.