Update: the metal dot side trunk has been returned.
Thank you to everyone who encouraged me to return the bag. When the manager looked over the bag, even he admitted that he doesn’t know if he’ll put the bag up for sale again, or have it damaged out. He was more concerned about how the metal sides were heavily scratched.
Thankfully, he didn’t question me, or my integrity. I took photos of the scratches when I first received the bag (it was a send sale), just in case questions were raised and I would be denied a return. I wasn’t bothered by the scratches when I received the bag though, because they would have happened anyway with actual use, and they weren’t that distracting or obvious. I was more bothered by the shiny dot of peeled leather.
Also brought up to him what the CA had said, which was to resell the bag and make a profit. He wasn’t happy, to say the least.