But several CSPs see SET as a dying standard--or at least one that will have to change radically before it is adopted. "Because the SET transaction process requires so many players to sign off on the transaction, it is extremely slow and failure points are numerous," says one chief technology officer, who declined to be identified. "SET is only around at this point because of financial support from Visa."

Alex van Someren, co-founder and technical director of accelerator-vendor nCipher, says that accelerators may be the answer because any changes made in SET now are likely to delay efforts to bring SET support to the client. While he acknowledges that SET hasn't been an overwhelming success, van Someren says it is showing promise of a full-scale rollout in Japan, where a hierarchical business style makes it likely that a large consortium of major manufacturers and banks now piloting an expanded SET definition will adopt the standard.

But few CSPs have shown a willingness to make the kind of hardware investment that accelerators involve.

What new toys or capabilities top CSPs' wish lists? Many echo the lists of merchants who handle e-commerce in-house. At the top is a call for tools that make it easier for merchants to administer commerce sites, especially browser-based tools. Next, CSPs would like an easier way to integrate credit-card verification systems with existing infrastructures. Of equal importance is the not-so-easily bestowed gift of faster, more scalable, better-integrated databases in and alongside commerce products.

Size apparently makes little difference to CSP needs. The wish lists of those catering to smaller customers is remarkably similar to those serving midsized to large companies, although issues of back-end integration, better tax software and scalability take on a bit more prominence for larger merchants.

CSPs are also interested in educating their merchants on the realities of e-commerce, particularly in the areas of custom programming and back-end integration. CSPs believe some merchants would benefit from better understanding of online credit-card processing costs. Merchants may not fully appreciate how many parties can take a bite out of each online transaction. "It's very common to have three different fees," says Michael Britt, president of CSP OneHost. A merchant, he says, can expect to pay about a dollar per transaction, plus the bank's charges. Costs grow with volume, although competition may reduce those costs over time.

But whatever the expense, e-commerce is on the march. CSPs expect the next six months will bring even better products--especially some suited to small businesses and others based on standards, like XML. The expectation is for mass consumerization of the Internet. As one CSP puts it: "Your Mom will buy on the Internet."