This University Student Bought Broken Phones on Jiji.co.ke and YouTube Taught Him How to Repair and Resell Them for Huge Profits

Peter Kariuki was desperate to supplement his meager income working as a campus dishwasher. Despite working long hours, he barely scraped together enough to cover university fees and basic expenses.

Late one night while scrolling Jiji.co.ke, Peter noticed people selling damaged, cracked smartphones for cheap prices of just Ksh1,000-2,000 that were once worth 10X as much when new.

This observation sparked an ingenious business idea – what if he bought these broken phones for pennies on the dollar and taught himself how to repair and refurbish them via YouTube, then resell at full market value?

12 months later after optimizing his model, Peter now earns an average of Ksh80,000 in monthly profits flipping repaired smartphones, all learned through online tutorials.

This is the story of a bright university student who built a thriving phone refurbishing business by leveraging YouTube, Jiji, and determination.

Scouting the Market for Bargains

Intrigued by the broken phone arbitrage opportunity, Peter began vigilantly scouring classifieds platforms for listings in his local area.

At first it was slow going. But over 2 weeks of persistent searching and contacting sellers, Peter managed to source 4 used phones with cracked screens but otherwise working perfectly fine internally.

The cost to buy the 4 broken phones was just Ksh7,000 total, with individual units ranging from Ksh1,500 – Ksh2,000 based on model.

Comparatively, the resale value of these exact phones in flawless condition was conservatively Ksh35,000+ total.

Peter now had tangible proof this arbitrage opportunity could be insanely lucrative if optimized effectively.

The next step was learning to repair the phones.

Learning Mobile Phone Repair Via YouTube

While Peter had no prior electronics repair experience, he immediately went to YouTube to start teaching himself how to properly replace cracked screens and other phone parts.

He absorbed dozens of phone repair tutorial videos, focusing on his particular models. Common steps included:

• Safely opening the phone casing without damaging internals
• Carefully disconnecting ribbons and dislodging the broken screen
• Attaching a brand new replacement screen properly
• Refitting casing and testing full functionality

Through trial and error practicing on broken devices, Peter sharpened his repair skills in just 2 months.

Now it was time to test selling his refurbished phones.

Generating Sales and Cashflow Through Facebook

To start earning money from his new repair hustle, Peter created a Facebook page.

He posted photos of his refurbished phones along with descriptions of the full repair process each device went through.

By explaining how the phones were inspected and restored to new condition, Peter framed them as compelling value purchases.

Here’s a sample ad Peter posted:

“Refreshed iPhone X – In immaculate condition after our expert refurbishment. Original cost Ksh80k+. Yours today for just Ksh25k with a full warranty. Save big on quality with our refurbished phones!”

The competitive prices and warranty helped buyers feel comfortable purchasing refurbished units. Peter also limited availability and highlighted rising prices soon to spark urgency.

The promising response validated Peter’s proof of concept.

Now it was time to scale up.

Growing the Business Exponentially

To take his new side hustle to the next level, Peter replicated and expanded every aspect:

• He bought broken phones in bulk – up to 20 per week off classifieds sites.
• He streamlined his custom repair process to refurbish units faster.
• Peter rented a small storefront and hired two university friends part-time to help with repairs.
• He expanded his inventory to include popular phone accessories.
• Peter invested a portion of revenue into paid Facebook ads to attract more buyers.

In parallel with sharpening operations and sales conversion, Peter widened profit margins by improving his buying deal negotiation tactics with sellers of damaged phones.

Within 6 months, Peter had grown monthly sales on Facebook from less than Ksh35,000 to well over Ksh350,000 – with profits of Ksh80,000+ after costs.

Peter is now earning 20X more than his old dishwashing job, all while attending classes full time!

Maximizing Profits and Impact

A key focus for Peter has been maximizing usage out of phones to generate profits and benefit buyers needing quality affordable smartphones.

He ensures minimal environmental wastage by salvaging every reusable part during repairs.

The repairs also provide extensive practice opportunities for his growing team of student technicians to gain practical skills.

Additionally, Peter engages social media followers with repair tips and offers free diagnostics of common issues to extend phone lifespan.

He knows knowledgeable technicians are key for sustainability.

Advice to Student Entrepreneurs

Reflecting on his prosperous journey tuning broken phones into profits, Peter offers this advice:

• Pick an unglamorous niche and immerse yourself in learning every aspect. Become the expert.
• Let technology be your teacher – leverage platforms like YouTube, Google and Jiji to build knowledge.
• Start small but think big. Constantly reinvest to grow your capabilities.
• Solve problems for people in authentic ways. Apply skills to make people’s lives easier.
• Don’t underestimate what you can achieve part-time around studies through relentless hustle and online resources.

Through dedicating himself fully to repair mastery and sales savvy, Peter demonstrates how spotting “junk” niche opportunities combined with grit and internet learning can successfully turn side hustles into serious income and making a difference.

For the next generation of young Kenyan innovators and entrepreneurs, Peter stands as a shining example of how passion plus online resourcefulness can unlock life-changing prosperity.

The digital opportunities awaiting you are endless. It’s time to start seizing them!

Read also:

• I Tried The “Shein Reseller Method” as a Side Hustle – This is What I Learned
• She Started Flipping Trendy Thrift Store Finds on Instagram – Now Makes an Extra KSh150,000 a Month Reselling Online
• How This Computer Science Student Earns KSh73,000 a Month Freelancing as a Programmer While Still Attending Class