SYRACUSE, N.Y., November 4, 2021 – TCGplayer, the leading technology platform for the collectibles industry and operator of the largest online marketplace for trading card games, today announced that it has acquired Roca Robotics Inc.
Headquartered in Longmont, Colorado, Roca Robotics has produced the world’s leading robotic card sorting machine for the trading card market, offering hobby store owners the ability to identify and physically sort cards from a catalog of more than 100,000 unique items. Through its Roca Sorter technology, Roca Robotics addresses store owners’ most tedious inventory management tasks, allowing retailers to quickly sort cards by name, set or rarity, apply pricing information using online market data, and organize all items into inventory that is ready to sell. Roca Robotics offers a proven solution that hobby stores have relied on to sort more than 125 million cards, enabling retailers and their employees to focus on the most important part of their business: their customers.
"TCGplayer is guided by a commitment to building tools that empower small- and mid-sized businesses and enable them to grow. This is why we have long admired Roca Robotics, a company dedicated to making cutting-edge retail solutions that save our local hobby store partners time and money,” said Chedy Hampson, founder and CEO of TCGplayer. “Together, Roca and TCGplayer will build on this commitment and enhance our ability to serve our retail customers, prioritizing innovation at every step. I’m excited to welcome Roca’s employees to TCGplayer and am confident that this combination will continue to accelerate our mission."
"We are thrilled to join TCGplayer, a technology leader that shares our commitment to customer success and innovation," said Kevin Lipkin, CEO of Roca Robotics. "Our joint expertise and complementary solutions will help retailers optimize their operations while expanding the solutions we’re able to offer them. This combination is a great fit for both our companies, and I look forward to continuing to grow Roca as part of a larger company with enhanced resources and expertise.”
With TCGplayer's support, Roca Robotics will expand its production capacity and accelerate new innovative additions that expand the machine's capabilities into new product lines. Roca Robotics will operate as a subsidiary of TCGplayer, and current Roca Robotics Chief Executive Officer Kevin Lipkin will continue to lead Roca Robotics. The Roca Robotics and TCGplayer teams will ensure existing customers experience no disruptions in their service.
About Roca Robotics Inc.
Roca Robotics Inc. has developed the world’s leading robotic card sorter for the trading card market: The Roca Sorter. The Roca Sorter can sort inventory by name, set or rarity. The machine can also sift by pricing using online market data with flexibility, including the ability to input custom sorting logic specific to a store’s needs. Its state-of-the-art scanning technology allows the Roca Sorter to recognize cards from different languages, alternate art, foils and matches set symbols, all with more than 99% accuracy. The Roca Sorter can autonomously sort and index 1,000 cards in just two hours, offering customers cost savings of up to 80%. Once finished, a list of the sorted cards are compiled into a report ready to upload into any e-commerce platform of choice. The Roca Sorter gives business owners deep insight into their inventory, allowing them to perfectly pick from bulk buys, and take their online business to the next level. Most importantly, the Roca sorter saves hobby store owners time and money, allowing their employees to focus on the most important part of their business: their customers. To learn more about the Roca Sorter, visit https://www.rocarobotics.com/.
About TCGplayer
TCGplayer is the leading technology platform for the collectibles industry. Founded as a digital media platform within the collectible hobby space, the Company has grown from its initial roots working inside Syracuse-based hobby stores selling comic books, sports cards, CDs, collectible cards, action figures, and tabletop games into an expansive eCommerce marketplace. TCGplayer develops applications and technologies that are revolutionizing the collectibles marketplace by connecting thousands of hobby and collectibles businesses with customers around the globe. The Company's ecommerce and data management tools power sales through physical stores, websites, mobile apps and the TCGplayer Marketplace. TCGplayer prides itself on creating a culture that fosters camaraderie, embraces diversity, and exudes passion and provides stock options to all of its employees. The Company has been ranked amongst New York State's 50 best employers and Fortune.com's top 100 companies for women in the U.S. and certified a Great Place to Work by our employees five years in a row.
CONTACT: press@tcgplayer.com
SOURCE: TCGplayer.com
