When I buy headgear is it NEW, or is it a possibly recycled return?

[BornInChicago]

When I buy a new headgear or mask online, how can I be sure I am getting never used, factory-sealed equipment?

I don't want a disinfected/recycled and professionally repackaged mask or headgear that was a return.

What do they do with the returns? By law I would think they need to be labeled as secondhand items.

Anyone know?

Maybe that "plastic, new smell" is a good thing.

[Goofproof]

All things are possible, however unlikely, my suggestion is buy from a reliable vendor, (Like CPAP DOT COM) with your own money. Our make your own! Jim

[Pugsy]

You make sure you buy online from a reputable source who can be trusted.

Most of the time online sellers don't sell returned masks. Legal nightmare for them to try to make a few bucks doing that. Not worth it.

Most of the time you get a mask packaged in a factory sealed container of some sort but there are a few manufacturers who just use a single box and there's no way to actually seal it.
But in most situations its fairly easy to see if the factory seal is intact or not. Sellers don't try to fool people by resealing the original package.
Now some brick and mortar DME stores....another story and not a good one.

It used to be that returned masks had to be physically returned to the manufacturer for the seller to get a credit for the mask that was returned but now I think they go in the trash and the manufacturers take the seller at their word that so and so masks got returned and credit is given.