Simply put, the drop ship process consists of the merchant selling a product at retail to the consumer, then buying the product at wholesale from the distributor. The distributor then ships the product to the consumer directly from the warehouse. The wholesaler charges the merchant for the shipping costs, which can either be priced into the product or passed on to the consumer. The consumer remains the merchant’s customer, and the merchant is the distributor’s customer.

The biggest advantage a brick and mortar shop has over an Internet retailer is that you get to try it on! By far, the biggest problem with shopping for leather online is getting the size right. Most leather motorcycle apparel today is manufactured in India, Pakistan, or China, and sizing standards will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

So take the time to read the size chart, and measure! Just because you normally wear a large is not going to cut it. Some very reputable leather apparel manufacturers recommend that you size up one, two, even three sizes larger.

Shopping for leather motorcycle apparel online can be a daunting experience. There are literally hundreds of web sites that offer all types of leathers and styles. Who do you trust? Will your credit card and personal information be safe? How do you know if you’ll get what you want?

As with everything, there are advantages and disadvantages of shopping for leather online. Informed consumers know what they want and how to find it. They know what to look for in a reputable site, and are able to avoid the pitfalls of the unscroupulous merchant.