Joseph,
I had a similar experience many years ago when we started outsourcing drawers. One of the suppliers sent us a drawer that had obviously been run thru the wide belt and sprayed. They hadn't even broken the bottom edge. It was very sharp.
They had figured out that they could make a significant profit by not finishing the bottoms. Some customers complained and others didn't care. When you did the math they were putting the money in their pocket. The lower price wasn't much lower if at all.
We had one company that would put such a light coat of finish on that it soaked into the end grain of the dovetails. They offered an upcharge to put "extra" finish on. I remember laughing at the guy.
It's definitely worth shopping drawer companies until you find one that fits your needs. Cost of the drawers, timeliness, quality, and the shipping cost is all over the place.
Mark B,
Our Archs, Builders & Designers wouldn't send us work if they saw unfinished bottoms of drawers. It's not about being anal. It's what one's market demands. These people are not looking for the least expensive product. Quality, timeliness, cost in that order.