Wait, a dollar bin pull had cover roll so bad it looked like a taco shell? That part is wild to me. I have seen some rough books in bins before, but a curve that bad usually means somebody stored it under a stack of encyclopedias for a decade. The heavy book trick working in 48 hours is kind of amazing, not going to lie. My own fix was way less classy, I just shoved a few hardcovers on top and hoped for the best. Your mileage may vary depending on how bad the roll is, but that seems like a solid save for a cheap book.

Ouch, that dimensional weight thing sneaks up on you bad. What saved me was getting sample boxes from like five different suppliers and actually weighing every single combo of products before I locked in a design. My inserts went from a full color card to a simple sticker on the inside lid, which cut about 60 cents a box. I also started shipping flat rate padded envelopes for the smaller boxes, and that alone dropped my postage by a third. It sounds boring but a cheap kitchen scale and a spreadsheet with every ounce listed is what finally made my numbers real.