I have tried to explain to lawn and garden companies for so many years that snow is not the same as grass. 

You would think this would be an easy concept to grasp. 

First, the literal aspect should be a clue: Grass is green and Snow is white. 

First grader knowledge: Grass grows and Snow melts. 

Eight grader perspective: Grass is a common word that generally describes a monocotyledonous green plant in the family Gramineae (Poaceae). True grasses include most plants grown as grains, for pasture, and for lawns (turf). Snow is, well, frozen water.

When it comes to the manufacture and distribution of snow and ice control products you find the starkest separation between grass and snow.  I find it very easy to explain this difference starting form the end-user's real life issues:

Since snow melts there is a limited time for the contractor to move the snow and get paid.  If a plow or spreader breaks, the contractor needs the part in the next few hours.  If the contractor does not get the plow running, then he looses the chance to plow and make money or he has to pay another contractor so that he can save face and the account.  When a mower needs a service part, there is time as the grass will still be there to mow tomorrow.

Because this is reality for the contractor, then the snow world pressure on the dealer is different than grass.  The dealer needs to have the needed service part in stock in order to deliver it at the time of need.  If the dealer does not have the part, then he loses the opportunity to make the sale as the contractor will go to any place that has his part.  Since the contractor can mow the grass later (because it will still be growing) the dealer has time to order the parts and wait for them to arrive.

OK, now that we know things are different for the contractor and for the dealer then we can surmise the issues are a bit different for the manufacturer.  Slightly...  Snow & ice control product manufacturers need to respond to the dealers that are replenishing their parts stock and their plow stock.  So, the manufacturer has to accurately predict the numbers of parts and plows they will need in order to satisfy the entire distribution network on a daily basis.  In order to be successful, the manufacturer needs to operate in a Lean environment that minimizes waste, increases efficiencies, maximizes throughput, and they must have no idle inventory.  Idle inventory is the enemy of cash flow.  This is all doable in a stable environment.  The grass business is a rather stable environment as the grass will always be there to mow.

Snow is not a stable environment.  Demand swings can be massive.  In my 15+ years in the business I have seen in-season demand grow 3,000% in a two-week period. I have seen orders for plows increase 50% from one year to the next.  Curious if this is understood by a company that makes snow and grass products, I spoke with managers at Ariens this week and asked them if they have ever seen this.  Because of the great winters we have had for the last two years, they are in the middle of this frenzy right now. Their common sentiment was a simple, "This is insane, crazy, unbelievable. We never see this on the grass side."

Yup, Snow is not the same as grass.