The following terms shall have the meaning ascribed to them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(1) "Itinerant vendor" means any person, partnership, firm or corporation of whatever type, including their agents and employees, who engages in a temporary business in this state exhibiting merchandise to the public for the purpose of selling or offering to sell, or taking orders to sell such merchandise when such vendor does not have a permanent address in this state and does not have a duly appointed agent for service of process in this state.
(2) "Merchandise" shall mean any consumer item that is, or is represented to be, new or not previously owned by a consumer.