Previous efforts to rein in Internet merchants have yielded only modest results.

Already, Internet merchants as a group are having a merry holiday.

Its losses are mounting, as they are for most Internet merchants.

But Internet merchants, especially those selling software for immediate download, know the bigger financial risk is their own.

The report cited unhappiness with service as a main reason shoppers stopped using Internet merchants.

Visa, the credit card consortium, said sales at Internet merchants rose by 179 percent for the last two months of the year.

For Internet merchants, this holiday season is bringing little joy, and not much comfort, either.

For now, though, few Internet merchants are paying much attention to wireless shoppers.

Internet merchants have never done a great job with shipping and handling costs.

Internet merchants, meanwhile, are hoping for the best since they have suffered from the acrimony as well.