Why you can’t just repair your phone in the US to avoid Trump tariffs

Business owners warn taxes may increase parts prices, making electronics repairs more costly than before

Tariffs that took effect in the US at midnight on Wednesday are expected to make buying new smartphones more expensive. But opting to fix an old or damaged device as a way to save money may not avoid a higher bill.

We do expect that we'll have to increase our own parts prices some, too, unfortunately," said Elizabeth Chamberlain, the director of sustainability at the device repair company iFixit. We're actively looking for sources of harvested parts from within the US. Even with higher prices on parts, however, repairs will still be much more economical than buying new."