Maybe it’s just the weird stuff I’ve been buying lately, but it seems like virtually every electronic product includes a power adapter (sometimes in two pieces), a data cable, and various other things, each using all kinds of strange plugs and connectors. Even if you’re very well organized, it’s pretty easy to misplace these parts or lose track of what goes where — especially if you take them on the road.

I won’t even get into the crazy logic that makes companies use so many incompatible parts. But I do have an easy way they can help customers keep track of all those pesky items. The solution? Labels. Each part should have a little sticker on it with a description of the product, along with a name for the part. For example, it might say “Power adapter for Linksys router” or “USB cable for Sony CD-RW drive”. And if it’s too hard to actually attach the labels to the items, just put them on a little precut sheet that says “Use these labels to keep everything organized”. Granted, this approach would add a few cents to the cost of the product. But the benefits in terms of customer satisfaction and long-term repeat purchases should be many times greater.