A website visitor recently asked me how I put SKU numbers on my books because they  heard and read about all kinds of methods for organizing an online inventory.

There are many ways to put SKU numbers on your inventory, some of which I agree are great ways to mark your inventory.  One of the more popular means is to pre-print no-residue labels and just stick them on the spine of the book as you enter the book into your inventory.  The reasons I do not use this method include:

1) The labels are just too expensive.
2) Not all books have a spine large enough for the labels
3) If the room gets a little too cool, the labels tend to end up on the floor.

The method I choose to use is to write the SKU number on a small Post-It note and stick it to the front cover of the book such that the number sticks out beyond the spine.  Thus:

1) I can read the numbers without moving books at all
2) The Post-It is held on by the adjacent book on the shelf
3) The small Post-Its are much cheaper than labels
4) I don't have to spend any time setting up label templates to print or use printer toner
5) Post-Its do not leave any residue
6) I don't have to search the office supply store for a particular label that conforms to my

     template

I know some online booksellers really promote the use of the no-residue labels and there is nothing wrong with using them if that is what suits you, it just seems odd to me that they would promote using the labels at $0.04 to $0.05 per book and in the next breath promote online postage services to save money on Delivery Confirmation.  The contradiction of saving a few cents on postage to boost your bottom line while encouraging you to spend a few cents for unnecessary labels and to invest your time in laying them out and printing them just seems a little strange to me.  I suppose it really doesn't matter that much, and some of the more experienced booksellers use the labels because that is what they started with and they may not be comfortable with change.