That doesn't match my experience at all. I can't recall ever seeing a big box of unused tools. I mean who goes out and spends a bunch of money on tools for no reason?

99% of the time, people buy tools when they have a need for them.

Really? Never in my life have I ever bought a tool except when I had a specific need to use it. I can say with 100% confidence that I have used every single tool I own at least one time.

Or more likely, they needed it once. And they remember that time they got rid of something they thought they'd never need again...