Web monitoring firm Empirix has launched a new free testing tool designed to give firms greater insight into the preparedness of their web sites in the important run up to the festive shopping period.

The performance audit is powered by the firm's e-LoadExpert service, which enables businesses to test if their web sites can cope with heavy user load and gives possible reasons for poor performance.

"Most applications are still untested when deployed and we think the primary reason is time crunch and perceived difficulties in testing, [whether in terms of] expertise, infrastructure or project management," explained Empirix's chief technology officer Dan Koloski. "This [free tool] is another way we're trying to overcome the resistance organisations feel to testing."

A recent Forrester Research report predicted that internet spending will top £13 billion between October and December, putting the UK top of the league of European countries for online retail.