In my experience, it's pot luck if you get a steelbook from Cex that is not dented or badly scratched. Cex stores don't appear to check the condition when they take in a steel or to protect it on their shelf. Saving grace is that if you buy online from any store, you can take it back to your local store if not satisfied - within a limited time which may or may not be 14 days (a legal requirement for online purchases?). Having said that I have had some bargain excellent condition steels. They also don't seem to enforce a standard for postage. Some arrive in a huge box, swaddled in protective wrap [Great}, others arrive pinned to the bottom of a box by some polythene wrapping [Good but does not protect the bottom of the steel from box punctures] and some arrive in a simple cardboard sleeve [actually, may well be the best option overall].
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Having said that I have had some bargain excellent condition steels. They also don't seem to enforce a standard for postage. Some arrive in a huge box, swaddled in protective wrap [Great}, others arrive pinned to the bottom of a box by some polythene wrapping [Good but does not protect the bottom of the steel from box punctures] and some arrive in a simple cardboard sleeve [actually, may well be the best option overall].