Private Eye
One of the little tools I take with me when I go shopping for sales is a magnifying glass. I keep it in my little test bag for sewing. Doesn't have to be very big. Mine is only about 2" across. I use this when I shop for any metal products i.e. needles, blades. Here in the gulf coast we have a lot of humidity. I was in one of the big box stores and brought a needle case with needles to the attention of one of the clerks. It had a couple rusty needles in it and it hadn't been opened. I looked further and a few of the other packages had rusty needles also and were from the same company. She put the needles back on the shelf and said that was why they were on sale. Now I don't know about you but I'm pretty sure there is not a seamstress/quilter out there who will buy rusty needles because they are on sale. These needles were for machines. I brought it to the attention of the manager at that time who said they were probably swapped out. I sent an email to the company and the next week there was an new manager and completely new staff. The store looked totally different and I saw no rusty items. But magnifying glasses are good to have along with a test cloth (I prefer denim).