Thoughts on Sorting in the Store
Possible Categories
Cat 1- Highly/Completely Sorted (At least 2 identical characteristics, most other char. similar (ex: a 3' and 6' power cable). Things get to this point either through a combination of rote labor and process, or because a large lot of presorted goods is donated. These goods often become "legacy" sorted, which is to say, we continue to sort them because they are now. This type of sort happens in response to the item being commonly requested, or because of an over-zealous volunteer.
- Examples
Cat 2 - Partially Sorted (At least one identical char., others similar or quite different (example USB to mini, USB to serial)
- Examples
Cat 3 - Marginally Sorted (Theme-based sorting, perhaps a few similar char.(ex: motherboard card risers))
- Examples
Cat 4 - Barely/Completely Unsorted (Barest sort, or none at all (ex: misc peripheral cables)
- Examples
Sortings Methods
- Sort by function
- Pros - Helps teach volunteers what doodads do, helps customers get right doodad for purpose
- Cons - Requires alot of knowlege of esoteric doodads and implementations
- Sort by connectors
- Pros - Easy to teach, easy to learn, visual
- Cons - Uses of doodads not apparent
- Sort by length/quantity (only some doodads)
- Pros - Pretty easy to teach/learn, but must be paired with another type of sort, some doodads uses are bounded by this consideration
- Cons - Time consuming additional sort, boring
- Sort by quality
- Pros - Maximum $$, Enjoyable for geeks, Makes our stock seem nicer
- Cons - Very hard to teach or triage, not visual
- Sort by remainder
- Pros - Deals with a problem, Easy sort, requires volunteers to learn other sorts
- Cons - Not helpful to customer or store folks, messy looking, limited uses