A method and apparatus for processing a commerce transaction performed with a terminal reader for reading a card are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving transaction information for a merchant regarding a transaction involving the terminal reader without the terminal reader having an assigned terminal identifier (TID) that is used for transaction authorization and assigning the terminal reader a pre-allocated TID for the merchant as the assigned TID, where the pre-allocated TID is selected from a group of one or more pre-allocated available terminal IDs (TIDs) associated with the merchant, and using that pre-allocated TID to obtain authorization for the transaction.