Although leather is generally much more expensive and preferred over vinyl a great percentage of consumers wanting leather and unable to afford it will settle for an inexpensive look-alike. There is now a bigger variety and easier access to a huge and an even endless selection with the world wide web at our fingertips.
As an example you will be much better off spending more for the black leather chair you actually want then spending less for a black vinyl chair you will be disappointed with. The durability of good quality leather will be stronger than the vinyl or other substitutes that may be available.
No matter what they do to vinyl it just never feels the way leather does to the touch. With the abundance of choices the internet offers us there is no longer the need to accept anything less than the black leather chair truly desired.