FEATURED STORY FROM THE Best of BG – 2016 ISSUE
iOutlet:
iOutlet Stresses Trustworthy Customer Service for Area Apple Users
Bowling Green students and residents don’t have to travel to Toledo to buy or repair their Apple products. A store called iOutlet (formerly Apple Outlet) is at 1236 W. Wooster St. to service all Apple-product owner needs.
Store owner Michael Oberdick followed his heart and love of technology from the nearby small town of Luckey to Bowling Green to not only better customer’s lives, but also those of his employees, too, by opening his store.
At 27-years-old, Oberdick used nine years of experience working with technology to build a business with a friendly-environment and wonderful staff to match. He spent seven years working at Verizon Wireless and owned a franchise before he sold it. After a couple of attempts at Owens Community College, he then started buying and selling broken Apple products out of his house.
As business grew, Oberdick decided that opening a store would be beneficial. “Before long it become too much to handle and I had to start hiring people,” said Oberdick. “My employees range from an 18-year-old who just graduated from high school to a 65-year- old lady who is a retired school teacher that teaches classes to older people in our stores.” There are currently 14 employees that work under Oberdick.
His formula for a successful business is this.“I saw the need for an easy and trustworthy place to go to fix and buy your Apple products in smaller towns,” said Oberdick. His idea has worked as his store passed its two-year anniversary in February. “We treat everyone like family and I think it shows,” said Oberdick.
“Most of our advertising is through word of mouth.” The store is small and has an assortment of desktops, laptops, and all kinds of accessories that can be purchased. It has a very homey atmosphere and is a very cost effective way to buy or fix Apple products.
Oberdick taught himself all that he knows about technology and uses his experiences to help teach his employees and costumers. iOutlet is a technology store that sells pre-owned Apple products. Products range from three to five years old, but are in great condition for an even greater price. College students and residents of Wood County can experience same-day service for cell phones, water damage repairs and much more.
“We do screen repairs for iPhones in two hours, where the Apple store you have to make an appointment,” said Oberdick. “Between the two stores (also in Findlay) we do 30 to 40 iPhone repairs a day.”
iOutlet also does repairs that Apple doesn’t do such as water damage repair for MacBook’s. iOutlet offers repairs that no one for hundreds of miles does, according to Oberdick. The young entrepreneur hopes to build on his successful business formula. “I would be disappointed if five years from now we didn’t have 25 to 50 stores open,” said Oberdick.
The next potential opening is planned for Maumee. If you have a phone that isn’t specifically an Apple Product, no fear, iOutlet will try their best to fix your device, according to Oberdick. “We’ll give you free help,” said Oberdick. “I won’t charge people that just have questions.” iOutlet also does a buyback of old devices as well.