In fact, there's always some inherent risk that the item you're buying is damaged in an unnoticeable way, even if it is new. What if your car seat has a manufacturing defect? What if it was dropped during shopping? What if the store attendant dropped it while sticking the shelves? What if it was purchased, opened, and then returned to the store? Even if the store has a policy of not putting open box items back on the shelf, there are people who will go to great lengths to make it look unopened.
All this stuff is possible, I don't think there practical risk to buying a used car seat is all that much higher. Besides, what if you drop it. Are you going to buy a new one, just to be sure it isn't damaged?
In fact, there's always some inherent risk that the item you're buying is damaged in an unnoticeable way, even if it is new. What if your car seat has a manufacturing defect? What if it was dropped during shopping? What if the store attendant dropped it while sticking the shelves? What if it was purchased, opened, and then returned to the store? Even if the store has a policy of not putting open box items back on the shelf, there are people who will go to great lengths to make it look unopened.
All this stuff is possible, I don't think there practical risk to buying a used car seat is all that much higher. Besides, what if you drop it. Are you going to buy a new one, just to be sure it isn't damaged?