Even online retailers are ready for 2008 to end. After we heard about the abysmal holiday season at stores, comScore said online sales for the holiday period up to Dec. 23 dropped 3 percent. It was the first decline in online spending since comScore started tracking online sales in 2001.

The latest places for fashion trendsetters to be seen are the online social shopping malls - that is, any of a number of social networking sites designed to foster interactivity among friends and admiring imitators as they look for ways to unload some cash.