What a TSM group is and why you'd add items to one

A TSM group in World of Warcraft is a folder inside the TradeSkillMaster addon that holds a collection of items you want to track together. You might group all the herbs you farm, all the enchanting materials you sell, or all the gear pieces you're flipping for profit. Once items are in a group, you can set prices for them all at once, scan the auction house for them as a batch, and see their total value in your inventory.

Adding items to a group takes about a minute per item. You do it through the TSM interface, either by searching for the item or by right-clicking it in your bags. The group itself is just a list — it doesn't hold the actual items, only their names and IDs.

Key Takeaways

  • TSM groups are folders inside the TradeSkillMaster addon that let you track and price multiple items together.
  • You can add items by searching for them in TSM's item search box or by right-clicking items in your inventory.
  • Once an item is in a group, you can set a single price rule that applies to all items in that group at once.
  • Groups are stored in TSM's settings and sync across your characters if you use the TSM desktop app.

Adding items through the TSM search box

Open the TradeSkillMaster window and go to the Groups tab. Click the group you want to add items to, or create a new group by clicking the plus icon and naming it. Once you're inside the group, you'll see an empty list and a search box at the top.

Type the name of the item you want to add — for example, "Vibrant Shard" or "Rousing Fire". TSM will show you matching results. Click the item you want, and it appears in your group's list. Repeat this for each item you want to add. You can add dozens of items this way without leaving the group window.

Adding items by right-clicking from your bags

If you have the item in your inventory, you can add it faster by right-clicking it directly. Open your bags and find the item. Right-click it and look for an option that says "Add to TSM Group" or similar — the exact wording depends on your TSM version. A small menu will pop up showing your existing groups. Click the group you want to add it to, and the item is added instantly.

This method is useful when you're farming or looting and want to quickly sort items into groups without opening the TSM window. It's also less error-prone because you're selecting the exact item you're holding, not typing a name that might match multiple items.

Handling items with the same name but different versions

Some items in World of Warcraft have the same name but different stats or rarities — for example, "Vibrant Shard" might exist in multiple versions. When you search for the item name, TSM shows you all versions. Make sure you click the exact one you want, because adding "Vibrant Shard (Uncommon)" is different from adding "Vibrant Shard (Rare)" even though they have the same name.

If you add the wrong version by mistake, click the item in your group's list and press Delete or right-click and remove it. Then search again and add the correct one. There's no penalty for removing items — you're just editing the list.

Setting prices for your entire group at once

Once your items are in a group, the real power of grouping shows up in the Price Sources tab. Go to your group, click the Price Sources button, and set a single price rule — for example, "sell at 95% of market value" or "buy at 80% of market value". This rule applies to every item in the group automatically.

Without groups, you'd have to set prices individually for each item. With a group of 20 herbs, you set the rule once and it covers all 20. If you change your mind about the price later, you change it in one place and it updates across the whole group.

Organizing groups by purpose

You can create as many groups as you want. Many players organize them by what they do with the items: one group for "Flipping Gear", another for "Herbs to Sell", another for "Crafting Materials I Use". This makes it easier to find items later and to set different price rules for different purposes.

For example, you might want to sell herbs aggressively (low price, fast turnover) but flip gear conservatively (higher price, slower sales). By putting them in separate groups, you can set different price rules for each without affecting the other. You can also delete or rename groups anytime without losing the items themselves — the items stay in the game, the group is just a label you created.

Syncing groups across your characters

If you play multiple characters on the same account, you can sync your groups across all of them using the TSM desktop app. Download the app from the TradeSkillMaster website, log in with your account, and it will upload your groups to the cloud. When you log into another character, download the groups and they appear in that character's TSM window.

Without the desktop app, groups are stored only on that character's computer. If you want the same groups on another character, you'd have to add the items again manually. The desktop app saves time if you manage multiple characters, but it's optional — you can use TSM without it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add an item to more than one group?

Yes. An item can belong to multiple groups at the same time. You might add "Vibrant Shard" to both a "Flipping Materials" group and a "Crafting Supplies" group. Changing the item's price in one group doesn't affect its price in the other — each group has its own price rules.

What happens if I add an item that doesn't exist anymore?

TSM will let you add it, but it won't show up on the auction house or in your inventory scans. The item just sits in your group as a dead entry. You can delete it anytime. This usually happens when items get removed from the game in a patch.

Can I import a group someone else created?

Yes, if they share the group as a string of code. Go to the Groups tab, click Import, and paste the code. TSM will create the group and add all the items in it. This is common in trading communities where people share groups for specific markets or farming routes.

Do I need to add items one at a time?

Mostly yes, but you can speed it up by using the right-click method from your bags if you're adding items you already have. For large groups, some players use import codes or copy groups from other characters using the desktop app.