Debra Miller Arbesman

In case you haven’t noticed the changes taking place in retail stores across the country, I'm here to report that orange is out and red and green are in. That’s right, the holiday season has officially begun. From tinsel to snowflakes, stores are already decked out in their holiday finest hoping to entice shoppers to open their wallets and spread some cheer.

The oppressive heat waves across the country have ended. Summer camps are coming to a close and children are scrambling to finish the reading lists they've ignored all summer. This can only mean one thing — the first day of school is just around the corner.

Sons and daughters say thanks to dad every June by showering him with love, affection and, of course, gifts. The weeks leading up to Father’s Day are spent searching for the perfect tie, power tool or “World’s Best Dad” coffee mug. Using Compete's panel of 2 million consumers and the results of our Spring 2011 Online Shopper Intelligence study, we're able to shed some light on consumer spending this Father’s Day and what e-retailers can do to best reach these shoppers.