Few years ago, I bought four or five boxes of Federal 124 HST standard pressure for EDC. While loading my mags noticed some rounds appeared shorter than others. Didn't need to measure just stood them up side by side for comparison. Out of all the boxes probably had ten or fifteen that were set back from the factory. Used them to test new gun and mags and had no failures (or kabooms) of any kind. Been using Federal ammo for years. First time I had seen that issue.
Car parts are getting sketchy too. Brake rotors that are softer than the pads so they grind away in months, Gasket sets with one half of the right seal and the other 1/2 main seal that isn't even close. Buy three coils, they all come in the same unopened boxes, with the same part number, and one is 2 inches too short. Take it back, they open a 4th box and the end boot is missing.
Sealed electric motor bearings. Two boxes, same part number, still taped shut, one is missing one seal and has no grease. Pry the seal off the other one, and there is no grease in that one either. In 5 decades, I have never found sealed bearings shipped dry.
Buy a lifetime guarantee rebuilt alternator, it will not even start to charge, take it back to the store, they spin it in their tester, dead. They go to the shelf and get another, put it on the tester, it is dead too. Wait three days until they get another.
Of course empty stock is the worse I have ever experienced.
Things that used to be straight forward are now a time consuming, frustrating project. Just like a third world nation.