A big share of what is in our bins is customer returns. Someone ordered it, opened it, and sent it back — often for a reason that has nothing to do with the item working.
People return things because the color was wrong, the size was wrong, they changed their mind, or they simply never got round to using it. Those returns are the best value in the building. The trick is telling them apart from the ones that came back because something was actually wrong.
Good signs
Slow down
Retaped or crushed boxes with loose parts inside. Something was taken out, or it was handled badly. Count the pieces before you decide.
Missing power supply on anything that needs one. A proprietary adapter can cost more than the item.
Rechargeable items with swollen or leaking batteries. Do not buy it, and please tell a member of staff.
Anything that needs a code, an account, or a subscription to work. Smart devices that were registered to someone else can be locked. Hard to check in store, easy to regret.
Opened food, cosmetics, or anything past its date. Check the date on every consumable, every time.
The two-minute test
Take it to the testing station. Plug it in. Push every button. Open every compartment. Count what is in the box against what the box says should be in it.
Two minutes there is worth more than any advice on this page, because it turns a guess into a fact. Every store has stations for exactly this — one for bin items, one for Prime deals — and no member of staff will hurry you.