The rise of mail-order catalogs in the United States began in 1893 when Sears, Roebuck and Co. published its first large catalog. This innovation provided rural consumers with access to a wide range of goods that were previously difficult to obtain. The mail-order catalog transformed retail and consumer culture, paving the way for modern e-commerce and changing the dynamics of shopping in America.

The rise of mail-order catalogs expanded consumerism, influencing poets like Frank O'Hara to depict material desire and the commodification of everyday life. This phenomenon inspired literature that critiqued and celebrated the complexities of modern consumer culture.