But people who have worked with the company on its plans say many of the new ideas about online commerce remain to be ironed out.

STEVE: Well, and of course this is the result of the fact that credit cards predated online commerce.

In December, Mr. Miller pledged to find new products and services to sell members and to expand into online commerce.

The importance of these certificates to online commerce is immense.

After advising companies like Levi Strauss and the Gap about online commerce, they wanted to get into the business themselves.

It is one of the few organization still actively promoting online commerce in Singapore and ASEAN.

Last year, she embraced online commerce, and Moresca's Web site (www.moresca.com), which offers more than 100 Dundesigned items for mail order, is now her consuming passion.

By 2010, Wall Street analysts say China could have the world's leading online commerce, with revenue coming from advertising, e-commerce and subscription fees, as well as illicit services.

Still, many in the industry are not exactly clamoring to break into online commerce.

"I've seen their ads, and they're very cute," said Carrie Johnson, a Forrester analyst for online retail commerce.