When we think about holiday shopping, we typically think about malls and big department stores like Hechts, Boscov’s, or JC Penney. But there are other, smaller merchants who stake their place in the mall during the holiday season to market their gifts and wares. These are called “temporary vendors.” These are the Hickory Farms’ and Nissley Winery’s and Halloween costume shops that pop at the special time of year when gift ideas are either abundant or sparse. You may see them in kiosks in the center of the mall, selling anything from wine and cheese to rubber masks to sweaters and handmade toys, or they may be located in a store space catering to the needy, frenzied shopper. Their name alone — temporary vendor — causes panic for some holiday shoppers. “They’re just temporary,” they say. Others lament, “I don’t trust them. They’re here now, but where will they be a month from now?” These fears are understood but not justified. In the spirit of the looming holiday shopping season, MODE sought to put together a “how to” guide of shopping and negotiating with temporary (seasonal) businesses. Our shopping question hot list included the best time to shop, finding and getting the best bargain, and not to getting gouged by markup from a temporary vendor. What we found was, well, a bright spot in the gloom of holiday shopping.

“People should not have any anxiety over shopping temporary vendors during the holidays,” notes John Walters, General Manager of the Capital City Mall. According to Walters and Mark Nobile, General Manager of Harrisburg East Mall, temporary mall vendors are as honest as year-round retail stores and a very pleasant addition to the mall atmosphere during the holidays. Although temporary vendors can be found anytime of year, there’s definitely a higher population of specialty merchants during the holiday shopping season. Many people feel that holiday shopping begins the day after Thanksgiving — the infamous Black Friday — but not everyone thinks so. Walters says that a small percentage of buyers start in October, and a smaller percentage start earlier (or shop year round), but Nobile and Walters agree that the attitude and customer traffic really pick up in November. Both general managers concede that the holidays constitute the heaviest retail shopping season, where temporary vendors play a significant role.

Naturally, everyone knows when the holidays are, but there seems to be some confusion about when is the best time to shop for them. “NOW!” Walters exclaims. This is advice for those who hate traffic, crowds, and the other ten pains of the holidays. For the others who get wrapped up in the rush and hurry of the mad dash December 24, you’ve got some time. Nobile says that there really isn’t a bad time to shop for the holidays. It’s all the joy of the holiday shopping experience, be it in May or December.

So if holiday shopping can officially take place anytime from January through December, how can a shopper get the best deals? “The holidays offer a great opportunity for serious shoppers to find a bargain. Watch ads and sales,” Nobile says. Generally, it all depends on what you’re shopping for and where you buy it. If you know what that special someone wants, maybe it will be on sale in July, or maybe a vendor will have it at a reduced price in March. Walters says that customers should ask when items will go on sale. But, you ask, what about the huge markup on merchandise during the holidays, especially with temporary vendors? How can it be avoided? Can prices be negotiated? Nobile notes that there may be an opportunity to bargain for prices with temporary vendors, but it’s not prevalent. Both general managers question a significant merchandise markup during the holidays, especially with temporary vendors. “It’s not an unfair deal,” Walters says, “because there is competition. A temporary vendor has an expected profit he’s going to make, figuring operating costs and overhead.” Temporary vendors aren’t as likely to price gouge like many shoppers think they do. Just like any other business, seasonal merchants face competition, which keeps prices low. “They can’t be successful if their merchandise is overpriced,” Nobile notes. Temporary vendors aren’t the sales sharks holiday shoppers tend to think they are.

Okay. Now you have the basics and you’re ready to buy that beautiful hand-crafted wooden train for your nephew from a temporary vendor in the mall. Does the artisan offer a guarantee or warranty on his goods? “That’s really up to the individual vendor,” Walters says. “Customers should ask what a merchant’s policies are when buying a gift.” You don’t want to be stuck with a defective product if you find something wrong. But what if you bought a sweater, gave it to your sister for Christmas and it completely unraveled in the wash in March? The vendor is long gone, right? Wrong. “We keep a record of all of the vendor’s information … address and telephone number in case a customer needs to get in touch with them after the sale,” Walters states. “If a customer comes to us and says they bought a defective product from a temporary vendor, we can give them the number and address and they can handle the matter directly.” Nobile adds, “Temporary tenants usually stay for a few weeks after the holidays, which gives customers time to return items if necessary. We also keep all of their information, but there is rarely a problem.” In addition, shoppers should be at ease knowing that all temporary vendors are interviewed and screened before they are permitted to sell their wares in a particular mall. Before they are invited into the mall to conduct business, management conducts a complete background check, contacting references as well as other malls where they may have operated in the past. When the merchant’s temporary lease has ended, management will do a post-operation critique, evaluating customer satisfaction, value and outstanding services — no bad merchandise or price gouging allowed, and customer service is a must. If the vendor has performed well, they may be invited again the following year. Nobile notes that temporary vendors are unique in their topical merchandise, thus there may be turnover from year to year because what was hot last year might not be again this year.

The bottom line on temporary vendors is this: they’re not the ogres of the holidays they were once perceived to be. Seasonal businesses will give you the same deals and great service of any other retailer. Although they may take up some valued walking or sitting space in your mall, these businesses’ wares add to the mall’s festive holiday atmosphere. Shop whenever you want, but watch for ads, ask when merchandise will be on sale, ask about post-purchase policies and most important, get an idea of what you’re looking for before you go. The rest is up to you. There are honest merchants and great gifts to be found out there this season!