Introduction
A SKU is more than a label.
A SKU connects inventory, listings, storage, sales, reporting, and physical items.
Without a good SKU system, reseller businesses eventually become impossible to manage.
Good SKU Rules
A strong SKU system should be easy to read, prevent duplicates, support multiple channels, and scale over time.
- Easy to read
- Prevents duplicates
- Supports multiple channels
- Scales over time
- Avoid random numbers
- Avoid inconsistent formats
- Avoid reused labels
Example SKU Structures
eBay
EBAY-5001
Booth 1
BTH1-1200
Etsy
ETSY-900
Facebook Marketplace
FBMP-300
Why Channel Prefixes Help
Channel prefixes allow sellers to quickly identify where inventory belongs, where it sold, and which workflow it belongs to.
This becomes extremely useful when inventory grows.
- Where inventory belongs
- Where it sold
- Which workflow it belongs to
Storage Tracking with SKUs
The best systems connect SKUs to bins, shelves, racks, booths, and rooms.
- Bins
- Shelves
- Racks
- Booths
- Rooms
Booth Reconciliation
Booth reports often contain vague item descriptions, incomplete data, and inconsistent naming.
SKUs solve this. Matching booth reports by SKU dramatically reduces mistakes.
Final thoughts
A clean SKU system is the backbone of a reseller business.
- Create SKU systems
- Prevent duplicates
- Organize storage
- Reconcile sales
- Track inventory from source to sale