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for me it’s about transparency, I too support a local store, not the cheapest one by far but I like it, when I was curious about the rytm I went there and played with it as much as I wanted which eventually led to the purchase of rytm.
recently I wanted to get isoacoustics stands for the monitors, and I ordered from the store online with delivery, the guy calls me and says that the only one they have from the size I’ve ordered is open package, it’s brand new but the package was opened in the store so someone could take a look how it works, and if I want a sealed one I’d have to wait for the next shipment which can take some time. I accepted it and didn’t mind and now I’m happy owner of the stands.
but if the guy wouldn’t call me upfront and I’d receive an opened package for pretty much one of the most expensive desktop stands available from their catalogue, I’d be upset and pretty sure wouldn’t order from them again.
so, transparency is key, if the guy lies in your face telling you it’s brand new sealed and you discover it’s not - you’re left with bitter taste and probably won’t return there. and that applies to big or small shops, at least for me.

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The bigger the retailer the bigger the b-stock scam. I mean that its perfectly logical for a company that can sell a bstock for new to do it, as every company has only one goal in mind and thats “profit”. Their reputation isnt really damaged from negative comments as they can just delete them. They have nothing to fear. This EU policy about returning items, is still very much profitable for them, as personalized advertising, so dont think otherwise , if not they would had already changed that through lobbying or other means. Even synth companies do a shitty job at controling quality and send you semiassembled synths with problems, or release synths that are buggy as hell, or wait two more years for that kickstarter project or whatever. So we have to learn with it.
What surprises me mostly is how synths are mostly still at high prices after sooo many years of renovation in tech

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until you see examples of smaller, independently run businesses doing way better jobs on all fronts (Dirtywave) and then you start wondering why everyone else is so bad at doing their job. i’ve a sneaking suspicion most businesses dont work as well as they think/tell themselves they do.

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Boxes in shops are opened to physically examine the conformity of any incoming inventory. Nothing would be worse than a closed box containing a non-working product or the wrong product.

It is ultimately important that a product sold as new works 100% and is free of any cosmetic blemishes and alike. Always check on spot before you buy anything expensive. Also inquire about your rights of product return before you buy and have them confirmed in writing.

In the EU, any product sold as new and which lacks conformity during the first 6 months is reputed to be non-conforming at delivery. During this period it is the retailer’s obligation to prove that any functional defect or cosmetic blemish (if it was not explicitly sold as B-stock) was caused by you. If they can’t prove it, they have to repair or replace the product at no charge. Beyond these 6 months, you have to prove that it was not caused by you.