I don't believe that Garden Centres have forgotten how to sell furniture. That manufacturer's comment masks a bigger issue, that of shared responsibility. In a tightening market, of course Retailers become cautious. At such a time manufacturers need to provide stronger stories, better display support, clearer trend guidance and more reasons for customers to trade up. (A few already do this). Anonymous criticism isn't helpful and doesn't provide a solution to the reported 60/40 sales split. Genuine manufacturer / retailer collaboration will. In fact, such collaboration is most likely to increase overall sales rather than reverse a situation a manufacturer is unlikely to be unhappy about. (I’ve shared a fuller response here: https://bit.ly/SOTrendIntelligence )