I think we have to remember that Lee Valley has the liberal return policy they do have because we are buying expensive tools sight unseen in pattens that are not common to available designs.
For example - with LN.. You can get an idea of the feel from old Stanley planes. Those Stanleys are fairly common in circulation... And the LN is a turbo charged blueprinted and improved Stanley... Low risk... But they arent for everybody.
The LV planes are different. Their designs are different. I think part of the reason they allow an easy return is that the "Different" is not for everybody. And so rather than sticking someone with an expensive tool they dont like - and having that person take out their aggravations on a public forum - they allow an easy return policy.
And so - efforts made to maintain a great reputation means they have to be easy to work with if the unit isnt for you. Online musical instrument retailers often have a very liberal return policy - simply because the tactile feel and sound of an instrument is very important... You often need to play them to decide whether you like them or not.
Now... I would guess that the few units that do come back because of the operator - not the tool - are carefully inspected and then returned back to their stock for resale.