I will make one remark here:
Some people just don’t understand that some vintage cartridges from the legendary cartridge designers can be purchased NOS ( NEW OLD STOCK) - never used! Even if they are made in the 70/80/90’s and very rare today. A lot of cartridges are in private collections still unused!
Some great vintage cartridges can be purchased even FACTORY SEALED in the box.
Some cartridges are as new, but opened and tested to avoid any doubt about suspension condition or anything that can be degraded in time, therefore they are tested. And that’s god we have honest dealers and private enthusiasts. I bought many units like that and i’m more than happy. Some people have too many cartridges and do not use them much, it can be a unit with 50 hrs on it or even less.
A lot of exotic vintage replacement styli can be purchased NOS/NIB (still sealed). And this is the only way to upgrade your vintage cartridge body with amazing NOS original stylus, often with exotic materials that simply not available new (like beryllium or hollow pipe boron).
Everyone who’s been buying a used cartridges learned something and people are not idiots to buy MC cartridges in bad condition like "used tooth brush".
Apparently you don’t have to put a cartridge in your mounth ?
And finally i hope people are not afraid to buy vintage records, those great original pressings, this is crème de la crème of analog, not your re-issues. And again, those vintage recorded can be found MINT- or SEALED or simply in Excellent condition. I buy a lot of used records!
P.S. Any new high-end cartridge will be considered USED when it’s been opened and tested. Official dealers often sells such items as "DEMO" even with full warranty on them. This is a great opportunity to buy with 30-40% discount some very nice and often expensive cartridge from legit distributor with full support. Such demo cartridges have been used by distributor (importer) to demonstrate how good it is and i believe even used it must be a great cartridge (if you believe in burn-in then you don’t have to suffer because it’s already burned-in). SoraSound often offering demo cartridges after all of them inspected and cleaned by the manufacturer (ZYX). This is only one example, but i know for sure how it works.
