SHIFT GmbH – nachhaltige Technologie mit Herz aus Deutschland
Based in Falkenberg (North Hesse, Germany), SHIFT has been shaping the market for sustainable electronics since 2014. SHIFT GmbH develops and produces modular, durable electronics – from smartphones and notebooks to headphones. Every device is easy to repair and upgrade, reducing electronic waste and conserving resources. The team consistently pursues its mission: technology that not only works, but also makes sense. With modular design, take-back programs, and a deposit system, they make sustainable technology suitable for everyday use.
INTERVIEWER
What is the purpose of your company?
SHIFT
It's actually in our name – ‘SHIFT’ stands for change. And that's exactly what we're all about: changing things, thinking ahead, redesigning. We started with smartphones, but now we're developing other products too. Always with the question: how can we make them more repairable? How can we create genuine cycles? And how can our repair department and development team work together to make our devices easy to repair, not only for our technicians but also for our customers? For me, that's the core of SHIFT. But of course, there's much more to it than that – for example, we don't have any investors on board and our corporate structure is deliberately different.
INTERVIEWER
What sufficiency measures do you use?
SHIFT
We have developed a durable and repairable smartphone – with the clear goal of conserving resources. Repair is not an extra for us, but is firmly integrated into the product: consumers can either repair it themselves or we will do it for them for at least five years after purchase. Another important point for us is raising awareness of moderate consumption. We want to encourage our customers to think about their purchasing decisions – and not just chase after the latest new thing. And when it comes to marketing, our budget for this is less than 0.1% of sales. We hardly do any traditional advertising – such as Google Ads, Facebook, or poster campaigns. Instead, we focus on being present at trade fairs, giving talks, and, above all, word-of-mouth advertising. Recommendations are the most honest way for us to attract new customers. Manipulative advertising? We don't do that. And yes, we sometimes lower our prices—but consciously and in a very measured way.
“Another important point for us is raising awareness of moderate consumption. We want to encourage our customers to think about their purchasing decisions—and not just chase after the latest new thing.”
INTERVIEWER
What supported the implementation of the sufficiency measures at SHIFT?
SHIFT
It is quite special that there are people who pre-order a device from us and are willing to wait a year for it. That is what makes our entire model possible in the first place. Without this patience and trust in us and what we do, our business model would not work at all. They are, so to speak, our enablers.
