method and apparatus for central inventory control as particularly adapted for retail vending wherein all merchandise is made to carry a coded identifier ticket characteristic of the product . upon sale of the product the identifier ticket may be removed and at periodic times all accrued identifier tickets can be processed through a label sorter and reader to compile data for input to a central computer which then provides various forms of inventory readout to the user entity . more particularly , the invention utilizes a form of identifier ticket adapted for gummed adhesion and tear - off from the product , and the removed identifier ticket is then processed in a sorting and reading apparatus to provide recorded as well as instantaneous output for input to an associated computer or other peripheral equipment . the ticket sorting apparatus consists of a hopper portion to receive tickets in bulk for subsequent mechanical feeding into a separating track after which the individual identifier tickets bearing binary coded digital marking are optically read with output data provided for computer usage . the separating track consists of an elongated belt conveyor , of critical width to accommodate identifier tickets , which includes a serially arranged plurality of separating flanges arrayed therealong to control passage of single identifier tickets therealong . finally , after optical reading of the identifier tickets they are dropped into a common depository for collection , storage , etc .