The TCR-driven chipping cycle (1 Viewer)

[Taghkanic]

I can’t help noticing that a lot of classifieds action on this site is now driven in part by the cycles of Chip Room events.

Whenever a TCR sale approaches, my sense is that more sets and racks hit the sales classifieds than usual, as people look to free up cash and/or storage space in their cabinets in anticipation of getting chips from Jim.

After each TCR sale, we then get a wave of action in response—sales, trades and wanted listings—as people try to (a) fill out their purchases, (b) liquidate excess chips they bought to meet TCR percentages, (c) flip purchases at a profit, or (d) recoup some $$$ or storage space by selling other sets/racks not in the recent sale.

Not saying this phenomenon is good or bad overall—generally good, I think, because it adds more chips to the total pool, and loosens up chips that people were holding for the broader market. I’m mainly just noticing it. Kudos to TCR for being a major player in this ecosystem.

 

[TheBigTater]

The best thing about TCR sales is the rush of people that will dump their old shiny objects to generate cash to buy the new shiny objects. It's a lovely cycle.

 

[mnebesny]

Kudos to TCR for being a major player in this ecosystem.

Kudos also to TCR for being a fair player despite having somewhat of a monopoly. Instead of price gouging, you make sure that chips are affordable and fairly priced, even for the rarer chips, and structure your sales so that as many people as possible can get chips.

 

[Nanook]

Kudos also to TCR for being a fair player despite having somewhat of a monopoly. Instead of price gouging, you make sure that chips are affordable and fairly priced, even for the rarer chips, and structure your sales so that as many people as possible can get chips.

Not bashing Jim in any way as he obviously does a nice job and has great cust service etc, but don't kid yourself, he prices chips how he feels he is going to maximize profits.

I think he knows exactly what he is doing. Even to the point of pricing one or two chips too cheaply which encourages many here to buy hundreds of chips that we don't need. That gets us to sell the unused chips which then encourages others with unfinished sets to then buy even more chips.

Genius, if you ask me

 

[mnebesny]

Not bashing Jim in any way as he obviously does a nice job and has great cust service etc, but don't kid yourself, he prices chips how he feels he is going to maximize profits.

I think he knows exactly what he is doing. Even to the point of pricing one or two chips too cheaply which encourages many here to buy hundreds of chips that we don't need. That gets us to sell the unused chips which then encourages others with unfinished sets to then buy even more chips.

Genius, if you ask me

Yes, I definitely agree that Jim knows what he's doing. But I think he still as choices to make. Currently, he institutes the percentage rules to ensure people can't just buy the high-demand chips like snappers, fracs, and 43mm chips. The percentage rules allow him to make the same amount of money by pricing the high demand chips cheaper and the lower demand chips slightly more expensively (as there are a lot more of them), and still knowing he will sell out of everything. He also puts a household limit in place to ensure lots of people at least get a chance at the rarer chips, and to cut down on the ability of scalpers to flip chips at a profit.

Overall, yes Jim is making sound business decisions, but he is also ensuring more people have access to chips, which he does not need to do in order to maximize profit.

 

[Nanook]

.......but he is also ensuring more people have access to chips, which he does not need to do in order to maximize profit.

Like I said more people getting his chips in their hands = him being able to sell more chips later on in the cycle

 

[Taghkanic]

The other phenomenon with TCR sales I’ve noticed is the second and third waves of sales which come 3-12 months afterward, once things settle down.

I haven’t really studied how long it takes... More of an impression. Maybe it’s as little as 3 months, or as long as 9 months before these get pried loose.

But it does feel like after some time to let the dust settle, some buyers change their minds, or realize they bought too many, and decide to shed some of their purchases. Plus I suspect others wait a while before flipping, because prices rise over time as barrels and racks become harder to obtain. Also it seems there is less stigma attached to selling at a profit once some time has passed.

 

[upNdown]

The other phenomenon with TCR sales I’ve noticed is the second and third waves of sales which come 3-12 months afterward, once things settle down.

I haven’t really studied how long it takes... More of an impression. Maybe it’s as little as 3 months, or as long as 9 months before these get pried loose.

But it does feel like after some time to let the dust settle, some buyers change their minds, or realize they bought too many, and decide to shed some of their purchases. Plus I suspect others wait a while before flipping, because prices rise over time as barrels and racks become harder to obtain. Also it seems there is less stigma attached to selling at a profit once some time has passed.

I'm sure a lot of that is just people wanting to participate in the sale more than actually wanting the chips. Chip Room sales are big exciting events that capture the community's attention for a month or more. It's kind of a fomo thing, kind of retail therapy, and there's actually excitement and adrenaline rushes on game day. It's quite a thing.

 

[Taghkanic]

I'm sure a lot of that is just people wanting to participate in the sale more than actually wanting the chips. Chip Room sales are big exciting events that capture the community's attention for a month or more. It's kind of a fomo thing, kind of retail therapy, and there's actually excitement and adrenaline rushes on game day. It's quite a thing.

Yes, there has got to be some of that. I also think that inevitably, people get attracted by some shiny new object—sometimes *another* TCR sale—and decide to move on, even if they were very pleased with their initial purchase. Or they find that they are just not using them as much as expected.

Or, per above, some realize after a while that they overbought and can pare down their set while defraying the cost by offloading some barrels or racks. And then others who just see prices escalating over time and reach a point where it becomes worth it to sell.

I certainly suffered the brunt of not participating in the initial Jack Detroit sale, and had to pay through the nose for most of my upper denom purchases 8-12 months later. OTOH, certain lower denoms were very easy to find at that point, and I was able to assemble large cash and tourney sets eventually.

The spate of predominantly RHC sales, many of them overlapping from various Horseshoe and Jack casinos I think also has added to the cycle, since to a great extent 90% of these chips mix well as-is or via overlabeling/murder.

 

[WhippyCascade]

I'm sorry I can not find the answer anywhere what are TCR's?

 

[Jeff]

The Chip Room

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

I'm sorry I can not find the answer anywhere what are TCR's?

The Chiproom, vendor on here buys out old casino chips and resells them in huge quantity.

 

[Tonysquander]

I'm sorry I can not find the answer anywhere what are TCR's?

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/forums/the-chip-room.21/