When cantilever not parallel to cartridge sides

Rather than a new car with a pushed in fender, one where the wheels were not aligned. That is the effect you have here -- mis tracking.

Cartridge set up/alignment can compensate for a few degrees of manufacturing error. As others suggested, use the cantilever to do so, not the sides of the cartridge body. But compensating for anything CLOSE to 20 degrees will likely mean either a bent cantilever or internal misalignment of the coil(s) and magnet(s).

No worries about newbie questions, we all had to learn this stuff at some point. And most of us are still learning. 8^)

Aligning the cartridge body is never very accurate, not good at all.

Using the picture, I measured the angle difference between the front edge of the tonearm and the front face of the cartridge and it is 5.719 degrees. It's way off.

It's normal that it's off by minor degree, but even then, it should not be noticeable just by looking a it.

Thanks guys.. sounds like I do have a case to ask for an exchange!!

>>I measured the angle difference between the front edge of the tonearm and the front face of the cartridge and it is 5.719 degrees. It's way off.<<

This is immaterial. Quite often the cartridge is not parallel with the headshell in correct playing position. It is quite possible for the cartridge to be offset 20% from parallel and still be aligned properly. Depends on the cartridge and headshell configuration.

Without a view of the stylus in playing position, we cannot discern if the OP claim is true or not. I believe he is confusing cartridge postition in the headshell with the cartridge sides and stylus being parallel.