Why can't I throw away an empty donor box?
An apparently empty donor can remain in the box because the device may still be repairable, cleanable, or resellable. Do not assume the container is disposable just because the useful part is gone.
- Open the donor and check every remaining task
- Look for dirty or broken pieces that still have value
- Check whether the device can be rebuilt or sold
- Reload once only if no valid action remains
- Report the build, donor model, box state, and screenshot if it is still blocked
How spare parts work
Inspect and clean the customer's device first, then identify every missing or broken component. ReStory generally does not sell the exact individual component on demand. Instead, obtain another device of the same type and technical version, dismantle it, and store the working pieces for the customer's repair.
Buy the right donor device
Search the marketplace for the same model. A broken or non-working listing is often cheaper and can still be the best donor when the specific pieces you need remain usable. Color does not matter for compatibility, but the device family and technical version do. Do not buy before you know which parts are actually missing.
Dismantle and store usable pieces
Open the donor carefully, clean it when inspection requires it, and separate working parts from broken ones. Move reusable parts to the stash, discard unusable components, then return the customer's device to the bench. Install the stored replacements and rebuild in reverse order.
When parts boxes are worth it
Parts boxes provide random stock and can contribute to achievement progress, but they are not a reliable answer to one urgent repair. Use them when spare cash and broad future value justify the gamble. For a blocked customer ticket, a correctly matched donor is usually the more controllable purchase.
Avoid expensive donor mistakes
The cheapest listing is not automatically the best value, and a working unit may cost more than the entire repair reward. Calculate the donor price, expected reusable parts, current job payout, and future inventory value. Keep bill and active-order money separate before buying speculative devices.
- Diagnose before shopping
- Match model and technical version
- Choose a donor for the needed component
- Store every usable leftover part
- Treat random boxes as optional inventory
- Keep a margin and seller-risk buffer
Example donor decision
Suppose an Eggotchi is missing a screen lens, front panel, and button cell. Finish cleaning first so the missing list is final, then compare marketplace units of the same version. A cheap non-working donor can be preferable to an expensive working device when those three components are usable. After delivery, dismantle the donor, store the required pieces and every other healthy component, discard only confirmed broken parts, then rebuild the customer's unit. The remaining stock has future value, but do not count that value as cash until it actually prevents another purchase or supports a profitable repair.
Build an organized parts stash
Sort reusable components by device family and version, not by vague appearance. Record which donor supplied the part and whether it was cleaned and tested during a successful repair. Reserve pieces for accepted customer jobs before using them on marketplace flips or competitions. Periodically clear confirmed junk so a crowded stash does not hide the one valid component you need. This discipline makes donor buying cumulative: a purchase can solve today's ticket and reduce the cost of later work, but only when the leftovers remain identifiable and are not accidentally consumed by a lower-priority project.
Donor decision table
Choose the purchase from the number of confirmed missing pieces and the remaining margin. This table is a pre-purchase check, not a promise that an untested listing contains a healthy component.
| Situation | Best first move | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One common part is missing | Compare a direct listing with the cheapest matching broken donor | Avoid paying for a complete working device |
| Several parts are missing | Look for a same-model, same-version donor | One delivery can cover several confirmed needs |
| No urgent repair needs the stock | Skip the donor or buy only from surplus cash | Inventory value is not the same as available cash |
| Donor price plus likely extras exceed the payout | Wait, choose another job, or use existing stock | A completed repair can still lose money |
| Listing is vague about the needed area | Treat the component as unverified | Seller rating cannot guarantee an internal part |
Flashlight donor missing from the parts market
A FUNTUL developer confirmed a missing flashlight donor as a bug and said it should be addressed in a following patch. Because the 1.0.011r notes do not name that item explicitly, update first and check both marketplace and donor listings. If it is still absent, report the current build, order, and required part instead of sacrificing the customer's original frame.