We haven't got a website problem, Marks & Spencer bosses said repeatedly on Tuesday; the new site is just in a "settling-in period" and all will be well for Christmas.

Well, OK, no one ever said these technological overhauls are straightforward. Google's mysterious search algorithms seem to reset themselves to zero when presented with anything new. And M&S definitely needed to dive in: relying on Amazon to take the orders and run the website promised long-term malaise.

All the same, a slowdown from 20%-plus growth online to minus 8% is an underwhelming start. Customers had to re-register their personal details, which will have annoyed them. But M&S surely would have hoped that punters' eagerness to experience the slicker online shop would have yielded a positive number.

Instead, another weak online quarter is in prospect before the hoped-for Christmas party arrives.

If it does, the slow start will be forgotten. But the shareholder who complained at Tuesday's annual meeting about how long the group-wide turnaround is taking could also have grumbled about the world's longest settling-in period.

Nothing at M&S ever happens quickly. Still, sales of slippers are said to be excellent: how appropriate.