Just from perusing online and hearing stories from other people, including threads on TPF I can guess at what the OP is suspicious about... just to explain to those of you confused. Probably SA's trying to prevent any return. (
http://www.epinions.com/msg/show_~threads/cat_id_~22/id_~15731/forum_id_~146?sb=1) However I agree with the other posters, that I think the practice is simply for space, materials, privacy, presentation....
Just read through this link... Omg, absolutely no words left, what horrible experiences - I feel devastated for these customers and don't even want to start imagining this happening to me.
To redeem the LV sales assistants' reputation, I have to say I had been cursed with a streak of damaged items from LV last January and the response from LV was fantastic and never lead me to believe they were trying everything to avoid returns.
So what happened?
1) My Orsay pochette was peeling on day one.
2) An unevenly, but strongly patina-ed display Petit Noe was sold to me as "brand new from the factory".
3) My Speedy showed faulty, wrinkling vachetta when I took it out of the dust bag after two weeks in order to use it for the first time.
With the Petit Noe, I can hear the OP as I wasn't shown the bag before paying, because it had been ordered into the store for me and when I came to pick it up, it was already wrapped up waiting at the cash desk. Obviously I should have simply demanded to see it before paying, but at the time I was a shy 20 year old, who thought it was rude to do so. My bad for not asking, their bad for giving me misinformation about the bag.
After the first exchange of the peeling Orsay I started feeling like the biggest idiot myself, because I didn't want to be that customer, who does all these complaints and returns and eventually was almost terrified to go back when even my Speedy showed quality issues after 2 weeks of sitting in its dust bag on my chair and not a single use yet. But in all cases, the LV employees were more than helpful, assessed the items, send them to France for inspection and when it was clear, that none of the damages were my fault, I got fully refunded - despite refunds normally not being part of LV UK's policy (you can only exchange if you change your mind). I didn't even demand a refund (just wanted the bags in perfect quality), but LV suggested it themselves, with lots of apologies and a glass of champagne in their offices.
This superb handling of the case not only led me to spend the refund on more LV products, but I also took on a job with LVMH two months ago because this (and many other) positive experience had painted a pretty decent image of the company to me. So I'd say, OP, don't worry. There might be isolated cases were certain LV branches act out, but I certainly don't think that this speaks for the company image as they are still a luxury brand, which very much define themselves through their customer care.