Dropshipping is a retail fulfillment method where a store owner does not keep the products it sells in stock. Instead, the store owner partners with a wholesale supplier or manufacturer that holds and ships the inventory on behalf of the store. When a customer places an order on the store, the store owner forwards the order and customer details to the supplier who then ships the product directly to the customer. The store owner typically pays the supplier only after the product has been shipped to the customer, thus eliminating the need for the store owner to invest in or maintain inventory.