CDs will probably be the first to go, since there is little way for an on-line merchant to claim to add much unique value to such basic goods, especially for consumers who already know what they want and are not looking for reviews or samples.

ECONOMIST: Intelligent agents

Already, the line between peaceful merchant ships and naval ones is blurring a little.

ECONOMIST: Piracy and private enterprise

The 16-digit account number stored in your card's magnetic stripe zooms across a leased phone line to the merchant's bank, zips under the Pacific to Visa's data center outside Tokyo and rides the Visa network to the data center of your issuing bank in Delaware.

FORBES: Visa's vision

One Sense of Fashion merchant, Francesca Audelo, who started a line of vintage- inspired hair accessories called FancyThat in Los Angeles, regularly polls her customers on everything from feather colors to favorite styles.

FORBES: Social Media Is Fashion's Newest Muse

Remember, the purpose of the payments query that a merchant initiates when you try to pay for something, whether on-line or in-store, is authentication, i.e.

FORBES: Tokenization And The Collapse Of The Credit Card Payment Model

The 58-year-old flea market merchant, who carried bags of merchandise in her arms as she waited in line to vote before heading to work Sunday morning, said money was tight, and the economy was a key issue for her in this year's election.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS