Some are probably also demo units... Look for a large batch of stuff to come through the store after any major camera show where Canon is an exhibitor. Probably just one or two copies of each item, but might be more depending upon what they were exhibiting.
It's common practice to sell off stuff after trade shows... My step daughter used to be in charge of trade shows at Microsoft... They'd buy a bunch of computers for any particular show, load them up with whatever software is needed for demos, use them for that purpose for a few days or a week during the show, then afer the show would sell them all off at bargain prices, especially when you consider the retail value of the software loaded onto them. It's more cost effective doing that, than transporting the same computers from show to show and storing them in between shows.
"Battered" or "Open" box could just as easily be a retailer returning an item that a buyer returned to the store for some reason: Momma said "That's way too expensive, send it back and get your money back right this instant, Bucko!", or buyer's remorse, or actual issues with the item, or just found a better deal on it somewhere else. Ever read the posts here about "free rentals" and "test drives" from Walmart, Costco, Best Buy, etc.... Purchase the item, use it, then return it for a refund under the store's policy. Some stores put those things back on the shelf (Amazon), others don't. If there's anything missing or the box is damaged, they return to the manufacturer. Unless the buyer registered the purchase, Canon wouldn't necessarily know that the item was ever sold or the reason the retailer has the item that they're now sending back to Canon. I bet it happens.
Overall though, refurbs are likely more closely inspected than stuff coming right off the assembly line. On the other hand, most are 90 day warranty instead of the usual year.
