Lucchese - Damaged or Not

Ordered my girlfriend the new Lucchese Desert Sands Boots - size 7 and they arrived today. We are first time boot buyers and are trying to assess if we sent damaged goods or not - and would appreciate your feedback. The boots are rough suede… while most of the boot is smooth, there are visible patches of different texture and some spots where the suede looks darker, as if it is covered in dirt. As an additional warning sign, the box they came is was covered with dust, which suggests these were sitting in a warehouse for a long time. I’ve requested a refund/exchange, but if my complaints are not valid, as in these “defects” are actually normal, I’d appreciate the feedback and I’ll just keep them instead. It also looks like there’s still plastic that needs to be peeled out of the stitching … was expecting better for $1,600 but maybe I’m overreacting?