How was everyone's Easter?

I have a feeling (fingers crossed) that it was probably on the good side? Surely the timing of those weather conditions last weekend must have given a welcome boost to the season's proceedings?

I've heard anecdotally from a few dealers that they have been incredibly busy just lately - and also one major manufacturer I spoke to was very pleased at the repeat orders they'd seen flooding in from the network over the bank holiday period. A quite significant increase on the previous year was mentioned.

Hopefully this can be the positive kick-start we all needed following a period of, shall we say, uncertainty. Interestingly, coming off the back of all the talk recently regarding the whys and wherefores of online selling, I read some information this week that implied all wasn't actually so rosy in that sector.

The IMRG Capgemini eRetail Sales Index, which is a body which collects data on the UK's online retail market, issued a statement which talked about the late Easter resulting in "subdued growth for online retail in March". The Home & Garden sector in particular was singled out as one which had suffered from surprisingly low growth just lately. The report said this sector, " . . saw its impressive growth trajectory from earlier in the year slow to just +1.6% YoY."

Of course we are still talking about some growth for online sales, but is this unexpected slow down good news for the traditional dealer sector? Have you seen this reflected in boots through your doors?

As Chris Biddle's fantastic editorial just before the Easter break so impressively articulated, bricks and mortar dealers can do so much more to define themselves than simply throw discounts at everything - which is pretty much all online-only retailing has going for it in this specialist market. The passionate reactions to Chris's piece revealed just how dedicated the network is to providing this service - and how deeply it can hurt when it feels like there's an unfair advantage given to someone else.

Once an event such as a sunny 4-day public holiday encourages showrooms to be full of customers, that's when specialist dealers can really come into their own. Advice, expertise, up-selling, aftersales - these are the bread and butter of the network. Hopefully if there are punters out there, turning their back on the internet for significant purchases like garden machinery as those statistics might imply, these will have been converted into returning, loyal customers.

With some of the stories we have reported in these pages just recently, it's understandable to become frustrated with everything. As well as recent developments regarding selling policies, I've also heard grumblings from some dealers that they are struggling with the supply of parts from certain manufacturers. This can't be good for dealer-customer relationships when wait times become ever longer. There may well be legitimate reasons for the delay in supply - but it's dealers at the coal-face who will be the ones facing angry individuals wanting their machine back. And that's always going to be difficult.

But whilst I don't want to come across as trite in the face of these issues and say 'stay positive and look on the bright side', maybe staying positive and looking on the bright side could be an entirely justified course of action?

With the advanced technology products you stock in your stores, your knowledge of these machines, how they work, who they suit and how to maintain them - that's an incredibly attractive package for customers. Maybe we should have more faith that purely box-moving retailers will be found out? That price is not the only game in town?

I think the reactions we've seen in the comment sections of the last couple of Service Dealer Updates have starkly illustrated what we've always known. That specialist, independent dealers are a passionate, committed, resilient breed, with an iron resolve and a fundamental understanding of what makes their business successful.

If last weekend's weather conditions really were the kick-start the season needed, it'll be the skills, expertise and experience of the network which will keep that momentum flowing for the rest of the year and beyond.