You may not get this in time, but according to the website of Rule Breakers recent stock pick Blue Nile (NASDAQ:NILE), you have until 3 p.m. today -- Eastern time -- to place your engagement ring order if you want to have it in time to pop the question on New Year's Eve.

Ooops. Did I just give away your big secret? I guess romantic comedies like When Harry Met Sally that hang on warm year-end finishes have spurred those Dick Clark engagements, and Blue Nile doesn't seem to mind. The company has moved more than 50,000 diamond engagement rings since bringing its high-end jewelry store online, so this kind of rushed sales spurt is as welcome as it is expected.

Yes, the holidays are done, but that doesn't mean that online retailers are packing it in until next November. Of course, the December quarter's magnetism can't be underestimated. Consider 1-800 Flowers.com (NASDAQ:FLWS). Flowers? You would think a virtual florist would live and die by Feb. 14, but -- surprise, surprise -- over the past year its sales have actually come in higher during the December and June quarters.

Now take a look at eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY). The world's most popular online bidding bazaar would seem like a holiday natural given its wide collection of popular merchandise and eclectic gifts. Well, not exactly. Over the past four quarters last December was its softest. Then again, this is eBay we're talking about. The quarters have shown sequential improvement, so the current period should come in ahead of the other 2004 periods.

However, despite the nature of sequential improvement in the growing dot-com field, go back four quarters at both Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Overstock.com (NASDAQ:OSTK) and you will see that the 2003 holiday quarter has trumped the three first periods of 2004.

So what does this all mean? Well, it means that your favorite dot-com retailer stock probably isn't immune to the swings of seasonality -- well, unless we're talking eBay. So pay attention to the stream of earnings reports that will pour in over the next month and change. It's when retailers will show their true colors.

Would you ever buy an engagement ring online? Why is Blue Nile able to talk so many into what may be one of their biggest purchase decisions? All this and more -- in the Blue Nile discussion board. Only on Fool.com.

Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz proposed to his eventual wife 15 years ago. There was no Internet around at the time. Then again, knowing him, if the situation were to arise today, he would not have a problem turning to Blue Nile. He does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned in this story. He is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.