Although Pitney executives say they expect Internet-related products to eventually yield 30 percent of revenues, e-commerce still remains a tiny part of Pitney's sales.
But uncertainty about the firm will probably emerge starting in December, when Merrill is scheduled to introduce new Internet-related products and trading accounts.
But Microsoft said that it would pick up the pace of product development on its Internet-related products.
The NCR Corporation is planning to introduce a series of new Internet-related products on April 28, the company said yesterday.
In February, Polaroid announced an alliance with PictureWorks Technology, a software company, to develop more Internet-related products.
The advertising is an extension of I.B.M.'s ongoing "e-business" campaign, which uses a red "e" logo to promote Internet-related products and services.
It also wanted to handle sponsorship of Internet-related products and services separately from the rest of information technology so that is could raise more money.
In 1995 through 1996 Prodigy unveiled several Internet-related products.
Nortel Networks said on Wednesday that it narrowed its third-quarter loss to $105 million, from $259 million a year earlier, helped by increased sales of Internet-related products.
The study found that in 1999, the United States Patent and Trademark Office received 33,731 applications for trademarks that covered an Internet-related product or service.
