Cybershop

By Chris Taylor

You promised yourself it wouldn't happen, but it has: with the holiday season barreling toward you at alarming speed, the amount of gifts you've garnered for your loved ones totals a big fat zero. Do you 1) Trudge through department stores that are heaving with humanity, grab anything you can find on the scorched-earth shelves, and hope that the winter sniffles you pick up in the bargain will satisfy your boundless guilt? Or 2) Make a nice large mug of hot chocolate, boot up the computer and have all your holiday shopping done in the time it takes to drive to the mall?

Tough choice, right? No wonder last year's holiday season saw $1.1 billion in online sales. Some analysts tip seasonal purchases in cyberspace to outpace their real-life rivals by Christmas 2000. But you don't have to wait till then. Here's our opinionated time-saving guide:

MALLS & DEPARTMENT STORES

Mall rats beware: the Web isn't ready for you yet. Stores like Sears, Macy's and Home Depot use their sites as little more than corporate advertising. On the other hand, the well-known Spiegel catalog www.spiegel.com has converted to the Web pretty well; its paper and electronic versions actually interact. Of the Web-only stores, NetMarket www.netmarket.com is probably the best of a bad bunch; few sites recognize the importance of a large inventory, extensive product descriptions and fun. At least there's no Muzak.

MUSIC & VIDEO

While CDnow www.cdnow.com and Tunes.com www.tunes.com are loaded with features and a pleasure to browse, sites like BestBuy www.bestbuy.com and CD Universe www.cduniverse.com give you the bare bones at low prices. And if you don't mind buying used, SecondSpin www.secondspin.com is an audio- and videophile's dream. It will give you a decent price for trade-ins too.

BOOKS

There are still only two words the beginner really needs to know: Amazon.com No imitator comes close to Amazon's community reviews and smart-searching, although Barnes & Noble's newly revamped site www.barnesandnoble.com sometimes yields cheaper prices. For used books, drop by Powell's www.powells.com) which can handi-vac your wallet with the best of them.

FOOD & WINE

Gourmet surfers go straight to Virtual Vineyards www.virtualvin.com) a cheeky little vintage of a site with unique reviews and a friendly feel. Those of us with less time (or taste) might try GreatFood.com www.greatfood.com) complete with a handy gift finder that should suit every holiday budget.

CLOTHES

Women will love FashionMall.com www.fashionmall.com) which carves its world up thus: Madison, Soho and Galleria. The choice for guys is more limited. The Gap's online store www.gap.com is still the easiest to navigate and the best for the basics--for kids and toddlers too. Note the free shipping through the holidays, probably to compensate for the fact that there's a Gap just around the corner.

TRAVEL

For a holiday getaway, Microsoft's Expedia www.expedia.com should be your first port of call. If you're globe trotting, try Travelocity www.travelocity.com) It can track your every stop and uses a powerful database. For a shot at the lowest fare you can get away with, try Priceline's ticket-auction site www.priceline.com) But don't hold your breath for a $10 standby to London. Most likely, that's just a cyberdream.

For more information about the products in the Technology Buyer's Guide, go to www.time.com/buyersguide