Which packaging design innovation revolutionized book marketing in the 1980s, leading to a significant increase in impulse purchases at bookstores?

In the competitive world of publishing, book cover design can make or break a title's success. Packaging design for literature has evolved dramatically over the decades, with certain innovations creating industry-wide shifts in how books are marketed and perceived. This trivia question explores a significant packaging design revolution that changed how readers interact with book covers and influenced purchasing decisions across the literary marketplace.

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The introduction of embossed metallic foil covers, first popularized by the publisher Bantam for bestselling thrillers
The standardization of the ISBN barcode placement on the back cover, creating uniform shelf presentation
The widespread adoption of step-back covers (with a second, interior full-color image), particularly in romance novels
The implementation of transparent plastic dust jacket protectors pre-installed on hardcover editions