Are de-kitted lenses more prone to sample variation?

Ron Outdoors wrote:

I got a Panasonic 14-140 the other week as part of a kit, with the G7 and 25mm. Already had a 14-140, so I planned to resell it. I compared the old and new, and my old one was sharper at every focal length. Not what I was expecting to see.

I didn't feel comfortable passing it on to someone else, so I returned the kit to Adorama. Had to pay shipping back. Then I saw today they also deducted the "free" shipping from my refund. I guess they didn't believe me about the lens. I imagine it will be resold to someone else now.

BTW, the first (sharper) lens was bought on eBay. Gray market I think. I doubt that there is any rule about what packaging gives you better copies of lenses.

That sucks, I would've tried arguing the point with them, tho I dunno if they have a policy of ever paying for return shipping. I don't think I paid for return shipping on bad 12-35 I got from B&H (zoom rubbed and squeaked more than any cheap zoom I've ever handled, and I tried breaking it in a bit); but I dunno what their stance on decentered lenses is either...

Amazon would probably accept whatever story you give, but they would definitely try reselling it if it looks good (sometimes as a Warehouse deal, but often as new, gotten a few opened packages from them myself). I would hope B&H/Adorama would be better about that kinda thing and would return it to Panasonic or sell it "refurb", but I really dunno.

Odds are Panasonic themselves would return it without much of a test anyway, at least to a customer... Everything is always "within spec" when it comes to that kinda flaw. I guess our acceptable margin for being within spec and theirs or Wasabi's differs a good deal.