Last week, I asked you, our valued dealer readers, whether the drought had dried up business?

I was grateful for all your responses, which broadly suggested that while some areas of business had slowed, workshops in particular were still keeping many dealers busy.

But one response stood out to me because it offered a remarkably positive perspective on what might otherwise be described as a challenging summer - certainly for our more traditional, grass machinery dealer readers.

Phil Noble, commercial product manager (Lawn & Garden) at E.P. Barrus, has more than 40 years’ experience in the garden machinery industry. His observation that he shared with me this week, is that dry seasons have traditionally spelt bad news for mower sales – but that this year, robotic mowers appear to be breaking that rule.

“I have found it so interesting to see the change – and for it to be something that gives our industry hope,” Phil told me.

Phil began by relating what I’m sure has been a truism for dealers since the industry began. “What has always been the case . . . is if the grass doesn’t grow, we do not sell grass cutting machinery!”, he said.

The reason he gave for this is a familiar one. For many consumers, buying a mower is a necessity rather than a purchase they particularly look forward to. Over the years I’ve often heard it described a 'distress purchase' - meaning that if the grass isn't growing, there is little incentive to replace or upgrade machinery.

But Phil says robotics is changing that.

“Robot mowers are completely bucking this trend,” he says. While sales have reduced during the dry months, he says they “most definitely haven’t stopped” and that for some of the dealers his company is in partnership with, robotic mowers have provided “a lifeline for their business”.

Phil then raised an interesting point in regard to how he sees that the market is changing. He believes that consumers appear to be viewing robotic mowers differently from conventional grass-cutting equipment.

“It seems that robot mowers are being looked upon by consumers as a consumer electric product as opposed to a mower,” he says.

That may help explain why people are still prepared to spend significant sums even when their lawns are struggling to grow. Phil puts the typical price point of Segway machines that Barrus promote, at £1,500 to £2,500.

For dealers who have invested in robotics, Phil believes this has meant having something to sell during a period when traditional mower sales might otherwise have fallen sharply.

And he sees further potential ahead. With increasingly dry seasons likely to become a more regular feature of our climate, Phil believes the industry will need to adapt, pointing to opportunities for dealers around irrigation, soil preservation and mulching (which could in itself lead to potential for greater chipper sales). He is also expecting the robotic mower market to continue expanding, particularly as more manufacturers move into commercial applications.

Interestingly, Phil believes his company’s experience with Segway demonstrates how quickly this market can develop. He says he worked closely with the manufacturer during the early development of units for the UK market, at a time when some manufacturers believed wireless robots without perimeter wire simply “wouldn’t work”.

“I really believe that Segway entering this market has shaken the whole market and has created a product that appeals to a wider audience,” he says.

So, my question today for our dealer readers, regardless of which robotic mower brand you may deal in - because it seems to me that Phil’s point will apply across which ever colour machine you specialise in – is, are robotic mowers continuing to sell despite the drought? Do you feel they have helped rescue what could otherwise have been a difficult season for grass machinery? 

Please let me know your experiences this dry season. As ever you can leave a comment below or drop me a line.

Thanks in advance for any feedback you care to share.