User experience with smartphone repair activities and the impact of modular product design

Modular-focused re-design is a promising strategy for product lifetime extension and recyclability of materials. Yet, sustainability benefits of modular product design do not automatically come into effect, but require additional service activities. To achieve the intended sustainability effects, such services have to be attractive and made use of by customers. This study investigates to what extent sustainability-focused modular product design in the smartphone sector promotes (i) self-repair compared to using a repair service as well as (ii) the effect of positive user experience with repair instructions and services. It further analyzes how circular economy attitudes and perceived self repairability moderate these effects. The quantitative analysis, first, finds that users of modular smartphones are more likely to choose self-repair than to use a repair service compared to users of semi-modular smartphones. This effect increases the more the device is perceived as self-repairable. Second, the analysis reveals that modular smartphone design supports positive experience with repair instructions. Repair instructions of modular smartphones are perceived as necessary, helpful, easily accessible, and sufficiently available. Consequently, successful implementation and management of complementary product and service designs are key to promote product lifetime extension in the smartphone industry. To leverage different attitudes, accompanying communication and user customization could stimulate circular behavior