ow that the elections are over, it's time to start making projections on the outcome of the 2004 holiday shopping season. This year, all good merchants should ask for e-commerce accounts to take their businesses online.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), 86 million people will do their holiday shopping from their computers this year; that's an increase over last year's 73 million online shoppers. E-commerce sales are expected to reach $21.6 billion in November and December, an increase of 19% over 2003. The increase reflects that of online retailing in general, which has also experienced a double-digit growth rate in 2004.

The e-commerce numbers will add to what most analysts say will be a merry holiday all around for merchants. Online shopping will be a major contributor to overall seasonal shopping totals, including brick and mortar retail, expected to reach $220 billion, up 4.5% over 2003.

And that's not the end to the merry-making: A survey conducted by BizRate.com, an online shopping search engine, found that 98% of the responding merchants anticipate a surge in their e-commerce business.

The BizRate.com survey also found that 32% of consumers plan to do more of their holiday gift-buying online; more than 50% will use the Internet more often than they did last year to comparison shop (89%), research gifts (86%), buy gifts for others (74%) and reward themselves with gifts (53%).

The NRF estimates that people will spend $144 billion shopping online by the end of this year, compared with $114 billion last year.

Although more people are spending more money online (toys, books and clothing are the top three items bought over the Internet), 93% of all retail purchases are still made in brick-and mortar locations.

Also celebrating the holidays early is Visa U.S.A., which announced that spending on its branded payment cards between Nov. 1 - 7, 2004 increased 15.7% over the same period last year.

Sales volume on Visa credit and debit cards for that week rose to approximately $22 billion; credit surpassed $10.8 billion and debit reached more than $9 billion, increases of 5.8% and 28.7% respectively.