In the late 19th century, before electronic inventory systems, which innovative method did large department stores commonly use to track their inventory and process sales transactions?

Before modern retail systems and computerized inventory management, stores relied on manual methods to track their merchandise. This trivia question explores how historical retailers managed their inventory before the digital revolution transformed the industry. Understanding these historical methods gives us perspective on how far retail management has come and the innovative solutions merchants developed in earlier eras.

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Pneumatic tube systems that transported sales slips to a central accounting department
Colored chalk markings on merchandise that indicated inventory status
Telegraph networks connecting all departments to a central inventory room
Punch card systems similar to early computing methods