congrats on FINALLY tracking down a cozy with a colour combo you like, hopefully it is perfect for you when you pick it up. I love the damier cles, after i got my groom cles i convinced my bf to get the damier coz it was so usefull (with hopes that i could use it myself sometimes) and he loves it and uses it everyday (so i never get to haha).
I actually rejected the first Damier cles my SA took out at the LV Boutique also. It either had a dent in the zipper (it wasn't straight) or in the bottom seam of the cles, one side of the canvas was higher than the other or it had both imperfections.
I asked my aunt, "Do you think I'm driving my SA crazy?" And my aunt replied, "Yes!"
And afterwards when I was paying for my cles, my aunt joked to my SA that I should work for LV quality control! Even my SA admitted that she was surprised by some of the quality in LV products now. (she has worked at LV for a long time so she knows how the quality used to be as opposed to now)
LOL, I made a comment to my aunt that after I bought my cles, my SA put the bag on the counter for me instead of coming around to give it to me and my aunt replied, "Oh because its just a little thing and I think you've hassled her enough!"
Wow, that's disappointing that their quality is dropping. Makes it harder to spot fakes too when their authentic stuff isn't perfect itself. I wonder if they were past returns.. but good on you for checking them out, I'd never think to really! New should equal perfect.. I'll remember your story when I finally purchase a brand new piece from a store.