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Some say the Montgomery Ward catalogue was among the most influential books in American history. Mail order transformed middle class living in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But at first, Ward struggled to get people to understand his business model – his prices were so low, people assumed there must be a catch. As mail order took off, it created demand to improve roads and the postal service. Tim Harford describes how today similar dynamics are transforming middle-class living in China – with the internet playing the role of the postal service, and e-commerce as the new mail order.

Producer: Ben Crighton
Editor: Richard Vadon