What shoppers were searching for this week

There's only one week left before people exchange gifts for the holidays. Analysts project that Americans will spend, on average, $700 a piece this year on Christmas gifts -- but what are they flocking to stores to buy?

In the last week, Google's top 10 product searches for the "shopping" category in Insights for Search were:

1. colorblock heels - The colorblock trend is back this season. This breakout search trend reflects window displays across the U.S. with professional fashionistas advising department stores to display bold gem-toned styles front-and-center this holiday season.
2. ebook reader - The top holiday gift for 2010 is expected to see huge success again this year. Analysts are predicting enormous sales for new e-readers and tablets from Barnes & Noble and Amazon in the coming weeks.
3. ugly christmas sweaters - Ugly Christmas sweater parties are hot this holiday season, and more people than ever are searching for the tackiest holiday apparel they can find. In fact, we've seen searches related to ugly Christmas sweaters more than double what they were last year and more than five times what they were five years ago (which is probably why they appear twice in this list).
4. dr dre headphones - Hip hop mogul and rapper Dr. Dre brings some serious swagger to the headphone industry with his Beats by Dr. Dre headphones. According to the New York Times, sales have approached half a billion dollars since they launched three years ago. These sleek headphones typically cost around $300, which is about 10x the price of regular headphones - but for some, it's a small price to pay for legit street cred.
5. computer speakers - A great stocking-stuffer for your co-worker or friend. Of course, if you end up regretting your decision to purchase them for your cubemate, you can always gift yourself a pair of Dr. Dre headphones to block out the sound.
6. apple ipad 2 - Tablets are mainstream this holiday season for adults and children. According to Nielsen, iPads are the most-desired holiday gift for the second year in a row among kids age 6 to 12.
7. karaoke machine - As they scale back on lavish holiday parties, people are looking for cheaper forms of entertainment: the guests. It's an instant concert -- or comedy show.
8. vizio tablet - This is the third tablet to make the list this week. This Android-powered tablet was featured on several deal blogs for $160 this past week, which may explain its quick rise to the top 10.
9. beats headphones - see #4
10. christmas sweaters - see #3

Want to see specific results related to your business?

Identify top rising searches by category

The Google Insights for Search tool allows you to see what types of keywords are appearing most often in searches. If you're looking to keep your fingers on the pulse, check out the "rising searches" section of the page.

Monitor trends within a specific geographic location or identify geographic areas for growth

Use the Google Insights for Search tool to filter searches based on location, allowing you to identify and follow trends for a particular region of the country and also identify areas of the country to target.

Incorporate keywords into your promotion strategy

Uncovering those hidden search phrases can be an excellent way to promote your products to potential customers who are searching for them. For example, if you're a retailer and see an uptick in searches for "striped sweater dresses," you can use that keyword as part of your promotion strategy for social or brand campaigns.