CPC Move Updates (12 Viewers)

[Eriks]

Or Mike thinks maintaining a happy customer base isn’t very important.

Yeah, if he's not careful we'll take our custom chip business elsewhere, to you know, Tina and like uh um...Tina

 

[chipinla]

What’s the O/U on a 5-10% price increase if/when they reopen?

 

[BigGrizz]

Yeah, if he's not careful we'll take our custom chip business elsewhere, to you know, Tina and like uh um...Tina

Depending on pricing that is actually a legit threat. Average American disposable income is dropping. CPC can't cut out middle class hobbiests.

What’s the O/U on a 5-10% price increase if/when they reopen?

I'm afraid of 15-20% personally.

 

[Eriks]

Depending on pricing that is actually a legit threat. Average American disposable income is dropping. CPC can't cut out middle class hobbiests

For sure, priced out is one thing. I’m just saying that there are zero alternatives if one wants the real deal. So it’s not like you can go across the street if you’re not happy.

Also not saying I don’t think he shouldn’t value customer base and communication, just that it is what it is.

 

[davesilver88]

We don’t know this for fact, but being that there hasn’t been an update shared, I am presuming the installation of the boilers are or what ever are not done. I don’t feel the need for Mike to communicate anything unless he’s ready to start.

 

[FestiveKnight]

I’m just saying that there are zero alternatives if one wants the real deal. So it’s not like you can go across the street if you’re not happy.

And that was basically my point. @doublebooyah85 asserted that the lack of communication implies that PCF is a minority of their revenue stream. I’m saying that communication might just not feel important to Mike. You’re giving one potential reason: feeling like there’s a lack of competition

 

[Highli99]

feeling like there’s a lack of competition

It’s not a feeling, it’s a fact. The only thing in business better than being the best, is being the only.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

It’s not a feeling, it’s a fact. The only thing in business better than being the best, is being the only.

Think that was in Super System, Doyle talking about a friend playing in a game he knew was rigged.

"If its rigged, why do you play there?"

"I have to! Its the only game in town."

 

[justsomedude]

What’s the O/U on a 5-10% price increase if/when they reopen?

Gonna be more than that.

 

[FestiveKnight]

It’s not a feeling, it’s a fact. The only thing in business better than being the best, is being the only.

I get it. I like CPC a lot too. I tried to buy the damn thing and I have 2 sets with 2 more I'd like to do if they reopen. But if as a hobbyist community we want to backseat discuss how the company is being run, we have to be a bit more honest about it. Let's be real, it's the only option** for custom clay where you get to design the chip itself.

You can do custom clay chips w/ TRK, BCC, and Paulson chips but that's customizing inlays only (still eats into market).

**ekricket also made some great points the other day, I think maybe in this thread, about the apparent ease of Paulson buys now. With Lucky's there's secrecy still on how Jim gets the order "through" but it's designed by one of the most prolific new designers who just jumped two feet into this hobby. That wasn't a crazy lead time to be putting in a design through Paulson. Sure with hoops, but this will keep happening (if anyone knows how, hit up ya boi).

But that's all just yapping. If you want to cosplay as an ostrich you can pretend that Tina isn't relevant to CPC's business but I won't join you. There's a population of people in the world interested in A) custom B) clay where they can C) design both the inlay and chip. Each of those attributes narrows the funnel (probably in that order). So at step B when folks opt into getting Tinas or BR Pros or anything else, they're falling to one of CPC's competitors.

I could keep going but I think it is a very big stretch to say CPC has no competition and is "the only." Sure if you care about only getting the business of a narrow segment of an already small population. But that didn't seem to go so great for the last guys. See: David saying something like "its so low margin it may as well be a charity to keep clay chips accessible." So if that's the case I don't think there's many sentences with "better" and "business" you can positively write about CPC right now.

 

[Josh Kifer]

 

[Highli99]

Until I can order Paulson chips directly and choose the colors, spot patterns, and inlay, CPC is the only provider of a custom compression molded chip.

 

[Josh Kifer]

Until I can order Paulson chips directly and choose the colors, spot patterns, and inlay, CPC is the only provider of a custom compression molded chip.

Excuse me, did you forget about that one guy with the hand press and mold cups doing chips out of sculpty clay? Does he not count??!

 

[BarrieJ3]

Excuse me, did you forget about that one guy with the hand press and mold cups doing chips out of sculpty clay? Does he not count??!

Sure, count him but not my daughter?

The avatar pic is like years ago, she’s gotten way better.

 

[Josh Kifer]

Sure, count him but not my daughter?

The avatar pic is like years ago, she’s gotten way better.

 

[Old State]

I feel like he made claims of expediting the process and making it more efficient. If that ends up being a reality it should theoretically increase his margins…which I hope is the case as a price increase may be a risky move.

This is already an extremely niche and very expensive product with a limited customer base. I would imagine a large percentage of his potential customers are the member here. Is that enough? Do we know if they have any commercial business?

 

[Highli99]

Any time demand exceeds supply, there is room to increase prices. Bain consultants would tell him to keep increasing prices until the factory is fully utilized with minimal wait list. And lower prices if he forecasts factory downtime. That would optimize profit in a constrained production environment.

Please let me know where to send my $100,000 consulting invoice.

 

[BigGrizz]

Idk man... McKinsey would tell him to fire everyone to get a better balance sheet for next quarter. Then hire two college kids and have them make dice chips.

 

[Highli99]

Idk man... McKinsey would tell him to fire everyone to get a better balance sheet for next quarter. Then hire two college kids and have them make dice chips.

Two college students working in the United States cannot compete with dice chip manufactured in china. Their product will be non differentiated and more expensive.

Congrats on bankrupting them with bad advice.

I know have a second consulting invoice to send. Someone get me an address please.

 

[AK Chip]

I could see where they would want to produce a large amount of stock chips prior to custom orders for a couple of reasons, one to have a jolt of revenue coming in and to work out any kinks with the machinery on less complicated designs.

 

[BigGrizz]

Two college students working in the United States cannot compete with dice chip manufactured in china. Their product will be non differentiated and more expensive.

Congrats on bankrupting them with bad advice.

I know have a second consulting invoice to send. Someone get me an address please.

Congratulations on implementing enshitification! Would you like to sell to private equity now?

 

[Highli99]

Congratulations on implementing enshitification! Would you like to sell to private equity now?

No need. Their playbook has already been executed. Well, except for leveraging the company and selling its assets.

 

[mr11]

Please let me know where to send my $100,000 consulting invoice.

Would you rather take 1000 piece set of WTHC?

 

[Old State]

How much demand is there really? The long turnaround time seems to have been more linked to production times vs shear amount of orders.

Stock non fantasy generic theme chips with denominations would probably be a big seller to the general public. 1-3 designs something like Paulson Niors…plus continue with the Rounders chips. I’d drop the Atlantic Club, Avalon, and eagle stuff.

 

[FestiveKnight]

 

[buffalojim]

Still nothing, huh?

 

[Eriks]

Stock non fantasy generic theme chips with denominations would probably be a big seller to the general public. 1-3 designs something like Paulson Niors…plus continue with the Rounders chips. I’d drop the Atlantic Club, Avalon, and eagle stuff.

+1

The complete lack of attractive (save for CSQ Rounders) stock sets has always baffled me. Seems like a no brainer

 

[Timportant19]

I get it. I like CPC a lot too. I tried to buy the damn thing and I have 2 sets with 2 more I'd like to do if they reopen. But if as a hobbyist community we want to backseat discuss how the company is being run, we have to be a bit more honest about it. Let's be real, it's the only option** for custom clay where you get to design the chip itself.

You can do custom clay chips w/ TRK, BCC, and Paulson chips but that's customizing inlays only (still eats into market).

**ekricket also made some great points the other day, I think maybe in this thread, about the apparent ease of Paulson buys now. With Lucky's there's secrecy still on how Jim gets the order "through" but it's designed by one of the most prolific new designers who just jumped two feet into this hobby. That wasn't a crazy lead time to be putting in a design through Paulson. Sure with hoops, but this will keep happening (if anyone knows how, hit up ya boi).

But that's all just yapping. If you want to cosplay as an ostrich you can pretend that Tina isn't relevant to CPC's business but I won't join you. There's a population of people in the world interested in A) custom B) clay where they can C) design both the inlay and chip. Each of those attributes narrows the funnel (probably in that order). So at step B when folks opt into getting Tinas or BR Pros or anything else, they're falling to one of CPC's competitors.

I could keep going but I think it is a very big stretch to say CPC has no competition and is "the only." Sure if you care about only getting the business of a narrow segment of an already small population. But that didn't seem to go so great for the last guys. See: David saying something like "its so low margin it may as well be a charity to keep clay chips accessible." So if that's the case I don't think there's many sentences with "better" and "business" you can positively write about CPC right now.

Is there any more info on the 'group buys'of paulson? Am eager to learn a bit more but hard to find info.

 

[BigGrizz]

Is there any more info on the 'group buys'of paulson? Am eager to learn a bit more but hard to find info.

You wont know about those until they've happened. They are all for profit adventures these days. The Star Lines were colllaborative but caused a lot of drama around who was included.

 

[upNdown]

What’s the O/U on a 5-10% price increase if/when they reopen?

I'll be surprised if the price increase is that low, if/when they reopen. I'm guessing an increase for sure, and that @BigGrizz number of 15-20% is where the o/u line should be set.