wrote in message
oups.com...
I bought a computer component at Best Buy years ago. When I opened it
I found a box of chocolates and a roll of masking tape. Someone had
bought the orignial product, put miscellaneous stuff in to give it the
right "weight and rattle", re-shrink wrapped it, and returned it. I
can't blame Best Buy too much as someone obviously was being dishonest.

Bought a cordless tool set at Home Depot last year. Got it home and
found the bags were filled with saw dust. Not sure if someone returned
it for being defective or finished their job and did not need it. This
I blame HD for as it was clear the package had been opened.

I would take it back to Lowes and explain what happened. They might be
able to trace the previous buyer. They also might still give you a
replacement. I'm sure it is not the first time it has happened to
someone.

I think the practice is pretty common, and shrink-wrap machines are now
pretty cheap. I recall once at circuit city, where I needed to pick up a
mouse for a relative. I pulled one out of the rack, and was walking to
register when I noticed it was upside down in the package. Carried it over
to a brighter light, and there were obvious scuff marks on the mouse, and it
was clearly a return. Taught me to be paranoid ever since then, especially
at computer shows (which appear to be dying out, at least here in flyover
country, since PCs became toasters.)

aem sends...