This year, shopping online will rival the credit card for universal appeal. They estimate that 81 percent of Web users will shop online this holiday season. The idea appeals to most everyone who has wished the holidays could be simpler. Online, you can shop after-hours, if you prefer, in your pajamas. You can save time, browsing several sites in the time it takes to find a parking space at a busy mall.
Prices can be lower and the selection has become vast.
Retailers are scurrying to get in on the action. Those innovations are fine for people like Angela Brown who have spent the last year or so becoming comfortable with online shopping. For others, the idea may be as daunting as sending a credit-card number out into cyberspace. More on security later. The first step is finding what you want.