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Parts
Sourcing quality parts and the different "grades"
There isn't an industry "standard" or grading scale for the quality of parts. There are a few consistencies however if you order from a reputable manufacturer. Most wholesalers will have a grading scale or chart talking about the differences. Most however are broken down by budget, standard, or premium displays or parts. Below are some examples of terms used in the industry:
OEM (original equipment manufacturer) - this would be a brand-new part directly from the company that designed the original product i.e. Apple, Samsung, Google, etc. There are only a few brands that have OEM parts available to the public.
Refurbished - these parts *might* be mostly made of OEM components, but typically rebuilt in some way. They can be very high quality, depending on who refurbished them. An example would be a company took a damaged OEM iPhone display, removed the LCD (original), and put a new, non-cracked, glass panel over the top.
Aftermarket (AM) - made completely outside of the original manufacturing process. This is where the quality gap can change greatly. Typically aftermarket displays or parts can be broken down even further
AM (A+ or Premium Grade) - this will usually be the best aftermarket display, and comparable to a refurbished part. Some can be almost a 1:1 match to an OEM, but at a more budget price. This grade makes up a big portion of the repair shop's sales.
AM (A or B or standard grade) - Some quality differences will begin to be noticed like visual brightness, color accuracy, touch response, etc. but might be sufficient for some customers.
AM (C, budget, or blemish grades) - the very cheapest of parts, and something that "works" but may have very obvious trade-offs in performance for price.
There are many different grades of parts, all called different things depending on the manufacturer. Check with the individual wholesaler for their "Grading" or "quality" scale. You'll have to decide the value/quality price difference you'll want to carry for repair business. Some models go for high-volume cheap repairs while many prefer the higher-quality, more expensive model.
MobileSentrix
MobileSentrix is now one of the online parts suppliers in the industry. They have a huge variety of offerings ranging from Macbook, to Motorola, and Xbox to Nintendo Switch parts.
What it's great for:
Huge variety of parts for a lot of devices.
A lot of pre-owned refurbished devices with grading scales.
Inventory management and supply is fantastic.
Some OEM parts for Samsung, LG, and others.
One-stop shop for parts and tools for most types of repairs, including soldering.
What it's not great for:
Can only buy parts if you have an account, specifying that you're looking to get into repairing devices.
With so many options, it's sometimes difficult to understand the differences in part offering if unfamiliar with repair.
VERDICT
MobileSentrix is a powerhouse in the industry. You can trust the part quality, and their customer service is quick if you are experiencing an issue. This would be my one and only recommendation if I could only choose one.
MobileDefenders
MobileDenders was acquired by Mobilesentrix in October 2022. They'll still run as separate entities for the foreseeable future. There are a few unique offerings from MobileDefenders that MobileSentrix doesn't have.
What it's great for:
OEM supplier for OnePlus, Motorola, LG, Lenovo and others
They offer free editable marketing materials for repair
Simple offering and clean website to navigate
Competitive price-matched parts to MobileSentrix
What it's not great for:
Like MobileSentrix, you must create an account with the intent of repairing devices, where you'll have a dedicated rep.
Some parts have to be "activated" for your account, so you might have to contact your rep to have them "unlocked" which can be cumbersome.
VERDICT
With MobileSentrix now owning MobileDefenders, Sentrix might be the best 1st resource and then using Defenders as a solid second. The quality is excellent on Defenders but their selection will not be as extensive as Sentrix.
Injured Gadgets
Injured Gadgets is another big name in the repair industry. They have a good mix of products and services similar to other sites with good pricing.
What it's great for:
Another one-stop-shop for most repair needs including tools, parts, and refurbished devices.
Some OEM Service Packs for Samsung and Motorola
Similar to MobileSentrix, but not as robust
Decent selection of accessories for mobile devices
What it's not great for:
Like MobileSentrix, you must create an account with the intent of repairing devices, where you'll have a dedicated rep.
Some part pricing is on par with other sites, but some are significantly higher.
VERDICT
Injured Gadgets is another robust option for quality parts in different grades. Their offering may not be quite as large as MobileSentrix, but this may be one of the best alternatives if parts are unavailable through your preferred vendor.
Apple OEM Repairs for the Public
Apple has now made a select number of OEM parts available to the public at SelfServiceRepair.com
Considerations
Only applies for iPhone 12 and newer.
You'll be able to order from Apple via 3rd party (3-5 business days, no option to rush)
You'll need the IMEI of the device you are repairing.
No refunds if the box is opened or installed on the device.
You'll need to contact the listed chat options to "pair" the part post-repair.
You'll need to return the part for credit back to us (pre-paid label will be emailed to you)
Some prices are as much as just walking into the Apple store, and others are very reasonable. It varies greatly depending on the repair.
Amazon/eBay/Alibaba
I don't know if a parts list can be made without including these online giants. Like using YouTube for training, there is a huge gap between good quality and poor quality online. Ordering through these sites might be the preference for some people, but here are some things to consider when making this choice, especially if using these parts for customers' devices.
Considerations
Good reviews can be misleading, and fake in some cases.
Part descriptions have been notoriously inaccurate.
You simply don't know if the quality or grade they are reporting is accurate.
May be the last resort for unique or hard-to-find parts.
There can definitely be GREAT vendors, but it may take time to verify and source them
Online shops (specifically Amazon) can be taken down instantly for any number of reasons.
Tools
The types of tools needed will vary greatly depending on the needs of your business. Many of the vendors I've recommended will have many options, recommendations, and things to discover. Below, I've outlined some of the basics.
A bundled toolkit with many of the essentials
A great place to start is with a bundled kit that includes many of the items you would already need. My first recommendation for beginners would be the iFixit Essentials kit and then upgrading to the Pro kit when needed. If just wanting to fix iPhone displays is what you want, this kit will get the job done.
The Essentials kit includes:
16 bits for the most common phone repairs
Tweezers
Spudger for prying
An opening tool (Jimmy)
Suction cup
Opening picks
The iFixit "Essentials" kit.
The iFixit Pro Tech Kit
The iFixit Pro Tech Kit
This will have several more upgrades for more advanced repairs. It will include harder-to-find bits that are typically used for security screws in random electronics.
The Pro kit includes:
64 bits
Several styles of tweezers
Several spudger types for different applications
Carrying case
ESD wrist strap
Even more opening picks and tools
An antistatic mat for your workspace
A magnetic mat to secure your screws
Tools that hold your repair
iHold for holding up your display while you disconnect the ribbons
Heat gun to loosen area-specific adhesive
Heat pad to distribute heat more evenly and for larger devices.
91% and higher IPA and a bottle
