I recently purchased a Sony 70-200 FE "G" lens from a major New York photo/audio retailer only to find it to be unacceptably soft at the corners from wide open all the way down to f8 at 200mm. I know this optic is supposed to be razor sharp and a real performer.
I called the retailer, and they agreed to send me out another lens and told me to return the defective one for a refund. I'm currently awaiting the replacement lens for testing.
What I wonder, is just what, if anything, stores like this do with these returned items. The lens is otherwise in perfect, mint condition with all paperwork and packaging, and I'm sure to some casual users would pass off as OK.
My guess is that items such as this are sent out again to some poor customer in hopes that the next buyer will accept it? I wonder if this lens was some former customer's reject and I ended up getting it. Surely items such as this aren't kicked back to the manufacturer.