The majority (88%) of Americans plan to shop online in the upcoming holiday months, according to a new report from iPerceptions.

The report found that online retailers need to optimize their purchasing channels by addressing their website visitors intent. Thirty-eight percent of shoppers visit retail sites to gather information about products and brands. Shoppers who do this are generally satisfied (75%) and able to complete their research tasks (85%).

There is a drop-off in the task completion from the research phase to the buying phase. Only 61 percent of would be buyers indicate they were able to make a purchase on the site. Thirty-four percent said they could not find what they wanted and 13 percent said site navigation and usability were barriers to making a purchase.

“A 61% task completion rate means that 39% of your buyers are walking away, and a retailer with $50 million per year in online sales is losing $18 million in business,” said iPerceptions President and CEO Claude Guay.

“By structuring their sites so that visitors can look for - and find - crucial decision-making information, companies can remove a major hurdle responsible for causing would-be purchasers to eventually abandon the process altogether. This is extraordinarily valuable information for online retailers as we move into the holidays, and something that should really make marketers stand up and take notice.”

e-Readers are positioned to be a popular selling device this holiday season, according to a new survey commission by Retrevo and conducted by Gadgetology Study.

The survey asked an online sample of individuals if they were planning on buying an e-reader this year. The response revealed 1 in 5 intended to purchase an e-Reader before the end of 2009.

The study also indicated that 1 in 4 men planned on buying an e-reader, compared to 1-6 women. The Amazon Kindle, attracted 62 percent of shoppers, while the Sony Reader attracted 32 percent and another six percent preferred an alternative.

“e-Readers have come a long way in recent months, and with so many new innovations on the horizon, like color, lighter, more durable frames, and access to more content, e-Readers are fast becoming the must-have gadget,” says Retrevo CEO Vipin Jain.

Broken down by demographics, 25-34 year-olds led other groups with 40 percent of their peers indicating interest in buying an e-Reader, followed by the 35-45 year old age with 22 percent intending to buy an e-reader.

Mid and high income households made up the largest segment of potential e-Reader buyers with 33 percent of those with annual household incomes in the $100,000 - $200,000 range, followed by 16 percent in the $50,000-$100,000 range.