Alex Knox
I had my iPhone 13 Pro Max screen replaced at Cell Exchange on September 16th, 2025 for a total of $163.50. The replacement screen was defective almost immediately. On September 16th, 2025, the very next day, the screen began glitching, flickering, and malfunctioning. I recorded videos showing all of these issues before any physical damage existed. The malfunction was present from the beginning. Before returning to the store on September 24th, 2025, I noticed a small crack in the screen. I did not drop my phone at any point. The crack occurred simply from placing the phone on a hard surface, even with a screen protector installed. That alone shows how fragile and low-quality their replacement part was. The crack did not cause the defect. The defect had been recorded days earlier and was already happening long before the crack appeared. When I returned to the store on September 24th, 2025, I brought my physical receipt and tried to show the employees the videos proving the malfunction came first. They refused to review any evidence and denied the warranty solely because of the crack that happened later. They ignored the timeline and refused to acknowledge the part was defective when it was installed. For context, I have been repairing phone screens myself for over seven years. I normally work on older iPhones, and the only reason I didn’t repair this one personally is because that week I needed my phone working immediately and didn’t have time to wait for parts to arrive. This was the one time I decided to use a repair shop. The part they installed was far below the quality I am used to working with, and the durability confirmed that. I also want to mention the environment inside the store. The moment you walk in, the atmosphere feels tense and off. The store looks rundown, the energy is uncomfortable, and both the manager and the employee had an attitude that made the interaction feel unprofessional and unwelcome. It’s not a place that gives you confidence that your device will be handled properly. After they denied the warranty, I filed a claim with my bank the same day. The bank approved it immediately. If you choose to take the risk and use this store at all, make sure you use a credit card instead of a debit card. The dispute process will be much easier when something goes wrong. After the refund, I bought an $80 replacement screen on Amazon and installed it myself. The Amazon screen performs significantly better than the screen Cell Exchange installed. The difference was obvious instantly. I also attempted to resolve this directly with the owner, Justin Dykes, who owns PhoneSource in Albany, Georgia. I sent him all the videos showing the defect before any damage and explained the full timeline. He stated he could not review the videos for “security purposes,” denied my claim anyway, and then completely ignored my final message disputing his decision. He stopped responding entirely. If you look up his Georgia store, PhoneSource in Albany, you will find numerous one-star reviews describing the same patterns, defective parts, poor quality repairs, warranty refusals, and frustrating customer interactions. My experience lines up with exactly what many other customers have already reported. Based on everything I experienced, I strongly recommend avoiding this store. Their parts are extremely fragile, their warranty is basically meaningless, and even the owner ignores clear evidence when presented with it. You are better off going to a different repair shop or doing the repair yourself with a higher-quality part.
