Dynamic graduated media collation system

A system for collating and stacking long cut retail edge marker strips exiting a roll fed high speed slitter/perforator/cutter apparatus includes a media collation apparatus that facilitates automated collation of the long retail edge marker strips by collecting them off a surface and through the use of a device of graduated stair configuration separately lifting the retail edge markers from the surface for downstream accumulation. Individual bundles of slit retail edge marker strips are moved in a cross-process direction on integrated shelves of the media collection apparatus by a connected pusher. This allows the bundles to be transferred through the cross-process move in separate bundles before being collated at the end of the move when the pusher retracts to drop the bundles onto a receiving platform.