Most kits out of Asia are not shrink wrapped or even sealed. Europe will often have a seal (Airfix, Revell EU etc). But to me shrink wrap is a very American thing as I have only really seen it on old AMT, Monogram, Revell US kits.

I guess to me 'new' would mean that if the kit was traditionally wrapped or sealed that it was still that way other wise it is 'as new'.

Action sites and especially facebook are very much buyer beware im afraid, I have seen too many people get burned by rear (yup people spell it that way sometimes) kits