Discover what our Device Pitstop franchise is all about in this TV spot featuring Josh Powell of Lexington, KY.
Learn What Differentiates Device Pitstop
What sets Device Pitstop apart from other technology-focused franchise opportunities out there? Multiple revenue streams. Find out about those multiple revenue streams and more from COO Chad Olson in this quick video.
Gifting Season: LinkedIn Article Features NTY Franchisees
Check out excerpts from a linkedin.com article below, which features several franchisees from various NTY Franchise Company brands.
Why these franchisees see franchising as a gift
By Jim Judy
The holidays are here, so what better way for me to celebrate than to hear why actual franchise owners see franchising as a wonderful gift. As a franchise consultant, I’m always happy to hear how they are thriving in their franchise business, but even I was surprised by the response I received for this story.
I’ve heard from dozens of franchisees from numerous franchise systems excited to share their thoughts on what they love about franchising.
Enjoy what they have to say, and have a wonderful holiday!
[…]
“This year we feel even more thankful than previous years. By opening our Clothes Mentor franchise we fulfilled our dream of having a family business and have the opportunity to spend more time together. Being a franchise owner has given us the opportunity to save for our retirement, and provide long term job security for our son. Our #Dream2016 has come through.” – Pieter de Smidt, Clothes Mentor of Sugarland, TX
“I’m thankful for franchising! Combining my entrepreneurship passion with best practices, systems and tools from a proven franchiser is a winning combination. 2016 was a great year!” – Bradley R. Swenson, Device Pitstop of Maple Grove
“We are thankful for a franchise with a proven track record to give us the confidence to open multiple, very successful businesses. By following the “resale-retail recipe” provided, we are not forced to build a business model from the ground up, but to utilize the wealth of knowledge our franchisor has handed to us to create our own businesses in our market and have the freedom to be creative and find ways to improve even more on operating our own individual stores.” – Shawn & Alyssa Cox, Clothes Mentor Charlotte – Midtown, NC, Charlotte – Arboretum, NC & Rock Hill, SC
“Being part of a franchise provides a broader opportunity for success, and gives an established brand to build on. I’m thankful for the partnership, resources, technology, and ongoing support from the franchise I am partnered with.” – Shasta Webber, Children’s Orchard Huntersville, NC
“Franchising give me the flexibility to make more family time. There are no clocks to punch and no supervisor to decline vacation requests.” – Brad Peterson, Device Pitstop Burnsville, MN
“After just spending 90 minutes with my franchise operations manager, I feel like I have a focused business strategy to wrap up 2016…and he planted seeds for me to start developing my 2017 business goals. I am thankful for having a built-in, business-savvy coach who wants us to succeed as much as we do.” – Chris Barnett, Clothes Mentor Springfield, PA
New 2016 Device Pitstop Commercial: Sell Your Devices for Cash
Repair Your Smartphone, Tablet and More at Device Pitstop. Check out this quick video, one of our 2016 TV commercials, to learn more:
Device Pitstop is Making a Splash in Minnesota and Beyond
Check out an excerpt from a startribune.com article below, which explains the growing used-electronics retail market and features Device Pitstop as an up-and-coming franchise serving this market in the Twin Cities and beyond.
Used electronics retail market boots up in the Twin Cities
By John Ewoldt
Amanda LaGrange dumped the title “Tech Dump.”
When the CEO of the nonprofit Tech Dump, a St. Paul-based collector and recycler of used, obsolete and damaged electronics, decided to open a new retail store to sell them, she figured “Tech Discounts” would be more enticing.
“We’d been selling refurbs for years in a corner of our Golden Valley warehouse, but when we decided to get serious about it, we rebranded,” she said.
Getting serious means that the new Tech Discounts store in Bloomington operates strictly as a store. The two locations in Golden Valley and St. Paul will continue to use the Tech Dump name for collection, recycling, repairing and refurbishing. The Bloomington location and the store within the Golden Valley facility are called Tech Discounts.
By recycling and reselling used electronics for 50 to 75 percent less than new, the company has kept more than 75 million pounds of electronics out of the waste stream. Fifteen percent of that amount is refurbished.
Tech Dump is one of more than 270 electronics recyclers in Minnesota, but it is in rare company selling used electronics.
Device Pitstop, a for-profit franchised business owned by the same company that franchises Clothes Mentor, debuted last year in the Twin Cities. It now has locations in Burnsville, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, Maplewood and Minnetonka with plans to expand in Woodbury and Edina next year.
“Our store revenue is up 20 percent over 2015,” said Michael D. Smith, vice president of operations. “There’s always been resistance buying used electronics so people need assurance the product will work.”
Device Pitstop offers a 30-day warranty and just instituted an optional recurring warranty for $3.99 to $9.99 a month. Tech Discounts will repair or replace any item that fails within six months. Customers can get a refund for any reason within 30 days.
Giving consumers confidence to buy used, LaGrange hopes Tech Discounts can expand its Twin Cities presence to five locations. Another reason that used electronics retail stores are popping up is the collapse in commodity prices for metals, plastics and aluminum.
Besides selling used electronics at the Bloomington and Golden Valley locations, Tech Discounts will also do repairs and accept electronics donations.
It is a Microsoft registered repair shop that uses R2 certification for data destruction and compliant with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Department of Defense.
General Manager Brian Bernhardt expects laptops and any Apple product to be best sellers. In a sampling of used products this week, the store had a 55-inch Samsung plasma TV for $599, a 13-inch MacBook Pro with 8GB memory, retina display and last year’s operating system for $999, a Dell desktop tower with Windows 7 Pro for $219 and an iPhone 6 Plus for $349.
Tech Dump and Tech Discounts operate under the umbrella of the Jobs Foundation, a nonprofit started in 2010 to employ adults with barriers to employment. Last year the foundation, which is 98 percent self-funded, employed 68 adults who had been incarcerated or treated for chemical dependency. […]
Upgrade, Repair and Repurpose Electronics at Device Pitstop Anchorage
Device Pitstop franchisee Scott Stansbury talks about all of the products and services customers can find in his store. Don’t throw out your no-longer-needed or broken devices, sell them for cash or get them fixed at Device Pitstop Anchorage. Watch this video to find out more:
NTY Franchise Company’s 200th Store Featured on Franchising.com
Check out the article below from franchising.com highlighting NTY Franchise Company’s 200th store: Device Pitstop Newport News!
NTY Franchise Company Opens Their 200th Store
National Leader of Upscale Resale Brands Will Celebrate 200th Store Opening in November
NTY Franchise Company, a national upscale resale franchise headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, today announced the opening of the company’s 200th store on Thursday, November 10 in Newport News, Virginia. Device Pitstop, NTY Franchise Company’s mobile and electronic device resale franchise, had the honor of achieving the company milestone when they opened their doors on Thursday morning.
“We’re very excited to open our 200th store in Newport News, Virginia this November,” NTY Franchise Company COO Chad Olson said.
“The opening signifies our continued growth and commitment to meeting the modern consumer’s need for high-quality clothing, devices and other items at an affordable price.”
NTY Franchise Company was founded in 2006 by President Ron Olson. Their first brand launched with the purchase of franchising rights for Clothes Mentor, a women’s resale store that today features more than 140 outlets. In 2011, NTY expanded its offerings by purchasing the franchise rights for New Uses, a resale store for home goods such as furniture, artwork and more. Expansion continued in 2013 when the company purchased Laptop Exchange and renamed it Device Pitstop, a franchise that buys, sells and repairs personal electronics.
In 2014, the company developed two new brands from scratch — NTY Kids, for newborns through preteens, and NTY Clothing Exchange for teens and young adults. A year later, NTY Franchise Company purchased an existing kids’ resale store, Children’s Orchard, and merged it with NTY Kids. The name Children’s Orchard stuck, and the new total of 30 stores were revamped to fit the modern design and concept developed by the NTY team.
About NTY Franchise Company
Founded in 2006 by Ron Olson, NTY Franchise Company is the gold standard in resale franchising companies. NTY franchises five brands, all with a different focus: Clothes Mentor, Children’s Orchard, Device Pitstop, New Uses, and NTY Clothing Exchange. The brands are all resale-based and cover women’s designer fashions, children’s apparel and accessories, furniture and household goods, electronic sales and repair, and clothing for teens and young adults. All are great business opportunities with cutting-edge technology, unmatched support, and lucrative resale franchises. NTY Franchise Company has helped individuals to establish resale stores throughout the United States in many communities, and it has territories available to develop nationwide.
Device Pitstop Newport News is the First in Virginia—Now Open!
Read about the first Device Pitstop store to open in Virginia in this article from dailypress.com. Congratulations, Device Pitstop Newport News!
York County franchisee opens first Virginia Device Pitstop in Newport News Tech Center
Paul Washington of York County is opening a Device Pitstop today in Newport News Tech Center. The franchise repairs computers and cell phones on-site and buys and sells gently used computers and mobile devices.
“I think it’s a service that will fit the area well,” Washington said.
Customers can get laptops, desktop computers, tablets and smartphones below original prices because they are used and refurbished, according to a news release. The store certifies and tests the products, which are backed by 30-day and extended warranties.
The store also sells new accessories, he said.
Washington said he opened his store at 12080 Jefferson Ave. in Tech Center because he liked the new shopping center, which brought new brands to the market. Tech Center is highly visible and the AT&T store next door could bring more walk-in clientele to Device Pitstop, he said.
Device Pitstop started in Las Vegas in 2003 and currently has 10 stores nationwide, but plans to continue growing, according to its website. Washington had been working in a corporate job and wanted to run his own business, particularly one that appealed to his computer geek side.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call the store at 757-234-7565 or visit www.devicepitstop.com/newportnews/.
NTY Opens 200th Store: Device Pitstop Newport News
Check out this exciting article from Franchising USA about NTY Franchise Company’s 200th store opening this month!
National upscale resale franchise NTY (New to You) Franchise Company, headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, will open their 200th store on Thursday, November 10. Device Pitstop, NTY Franchise Company’s mobile and electronic device resale franchise, will have the honor of achieving the company milestone when they open the doors of their new franchise unit in Newport News, Virginia.
“We’re very excited to open our 200th store in Newport News, Virginia this November,” NTY Franchise Company COO Chad Olson (pictured above) said. “The opening signifies our continued growth and commitment to meeting the modern consumer’s need for high-quality clothing, devices and other items at an affordable price.”
Founded in 2006 by Ron Olson, NTY Franchise Company features five resale brands, all with a different focus: Clothes Mentor, Children’s Orchard, Device Pitstop, New Uses, and NTY Clothing Exchange. Their brands cover everything from women’s designer fashions, children’s apparel and accessories, furniture and household goods, electronic sales and repair, and clothing for teens and young adults. All brands feature cutting-edge technology, support, and lucrative franchising opportunities to help candidates establish resale stores throughout the United States.
Device Pitstop Attends the Super Mobility Trade Show in Las Vegas
Earlier this month, Device Pitstop sent a couple of staffers to the Super Mobility trade show facilitated by the CTIA. Read about what they saw and learned in this blog post by Robby Molberg, Device Pitstop’s Inventory Sourcing Specialist:
Definition: CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association) is an association of companies that specialize in all things wireless, i.e. carriers (Verizon, AT&T, etc.), suppliers (Apple, Samsung, etc.), accessories and many more aspects of wireless technology.
Benefits: CTIA advocates for all of their members through avenues in government as well as helping facilitate education for consumers in relation to wireless technology. In addition, the organization is heavily involved with voluntary efforts to self-regulate the recycling and reuse of wireless product.
Super Mobility: They also facilitate the Super Mobility trade show held annually. This year it was in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Sands Expo & Convention Center.
Super Mobility is the MUST ATTEND event for everyone who’s business revolves around wireless technology, whether that be the sale of said devices, their accessories or the repair aspect. The convention brings together all of the biggest names to facilitate industry collaboration between not only the well-known companies but the startups as well; plus, it offers educational opportunities for all.
1. Wireless Connectivity
4G Advancements/5G: We were able to attend several keynotes and listened to key industry leaders such as John G. Stratton, the Executive Vice President and President of Operations for Verizon.
Mr. Stratton spoke of many advancements still to come in the 4G LTE Internet connectivity we enjoy with our smartphones today. He also touched on 5G speeds and how Verizon is working furiously to develop the infrastructure and put in place the technological requirements to see it realized by the year 2020.
5G is predicted to bring about widespread usage of the Internet of Things. Quite simply, this would mean our everyday devices, i.e. refrigerator, washer, dryer, etc., would all become connected devices and controlled through such interfaces as smartphones and tablets.
5G could very well replace fiber optic lines being laid in select cities to increase the current average speed (30mbps) to 1GB (1,000 mbps) of download speed! In laymen’s terms, that’s replacing the average consumer’s mini-van with a Ferrari! This is specifically relevant to IoT (Internet of Things) and having more devices than ever connected to the web and their subsequent draw on current bandwidth availability.
Summary: With new technology just around the corner to help facilitate faster connection speeds and connecting more of our everyday devices as an aggregate, Device Pitstop’s role in their customer’s lives will greatly increase!
As we become more reliant on technology to perform the most basic of tasks around the house, we may very well see our customers bringing a “smart” microwave in for repair or perhaps their “smart” thermostat (already in existence). This brings even more opportunity for education, repair services and saleable devices to the DP inventory.
2. Vendors – Parts
Wholesale Vendors for Repair: We were able to meet with countless companies that offer a vast array of repair tools and parts to encourage growth and streamlining the repair process that we currently engage in on an everyday basis.
Quality vs Cost – Meeting in the Middle: With a vast array of potential suppliers of mobile repair parts out there and highly visible at Super Mobility, discerning which vendors to utilize is a monumental task!
We have come away from the event with more than we could possibly utilize and are working quickly to ascertain which are here to stay and those that won’t have longevity in the marketplace.
This means determining quality product that meets our expectations as well as affordable costs to effectively compete in each and every Device Pitstop location. These vendors are vetted in our corporate location before their recommendation is made to the franchisees for their daily usage.
Innovations in Repair: Super Mobility is the best and brightest in the industry, bringing their creations to fruition and showcasing them to retailers/repair stores such as us! We were able to take part in demonstrations of the latest in repair technology. Such innovations will further the profitability of more and more devices being repaired, especially as these devices are becoming a part of IoT (Internet of Things).
3. Vendors – Wholesale Suppliers
Cellphone/Tablet Suppliers: Device Pitstop focuses on the recycle and reuse side of consumer electronics. We want to keep devices out of landfills and in user’s hands for longer! We consider this to be wise stewardship of the resources we’re entrusted with as well as a great way for everyday Americans to cut rising technological costs.
Everyone wants the latest and greatest in mobile tech but not at the price tag buying new entails. One of our primary goals at Super Mobility was to find and develop relationships with vendors of refurbished cellphones. Gently used, current models that will bring the affordability factor in play as well as staying current with the latest advancements.
We have definitely found said vendors and are working with them to bring the best, refurbished smartphone/tablet technology to a Device Pitstop near you!
Summary: CTIA Super Mobility was a whirlwind of exciting and innovating technological advancements that are currently available with many more to come in the near future!
The most impactful portion of the show was certainly meeting many current friends/vendors in person and furthering that relationship in addition to meeting a host of new ones! These relationships not only help us to stay relevant with today’s marketplace but keeps us on our toes for future innovations just around the corner and years ahead! One can never look too far in the future with mobile tech as it evolves at an ever-increasing speed.
Click here to see more from the CTIA Super Mobility trade show.
