The same applies to the Internet. As the holidays approach, cybermerchants must attract customers, build enough capacity to handle traffic spikes and present available products clearly and accurately. The latter item requires the most attention.

The Web’s biggest retailers are already dedicating IT resources to ensure that customers see an accurate representation of available merchandise at all times. They’re also improving search engines and boosting server capacity. At the same time, e-retailers are developing marketing strategies that bridge the gap between offline and online sales.

Merchants such as CDnow, Toysrus.com and Macys.com are still smarting from last year, when some customers didn’t receive holiday gifts until after Christmas. This year, the big test for e-retailers will be to accurately tell consumers what goods are available and when they’ll be delivered. It’s now or never.