Return/re-order or replace??

I am ordering a iPhone 4S and have heard a lot of problems about it so far. I am always reading it's such a small percentage that get the problems, you just are more likely to hear from them vs. people with properly functioning products. Right, perhaps that is realistic.
However, I bought my last phone with this very idea in mind, decided to take the gamble, and lo and behold I got a botched 3gs. And it was seriously messed up.
My replacement was a refurb according to rumours, not-quite-refurb, according to genius. I am content with it, though the screen does weird things and I feel like if you (Apple) screw up the phone before it's even shipped, customers have a right to a pristine new phone experience. Since you can't return after 30 days (or 14, in some people's cases) you are stuck with these replacement phones as your option of course, but I waited too long in that case.

However I'm ordering an iPhone straight from apple for the first time, unlocked, and have been seeing all sorts of people going and getting their 4S replacements very quickly when there is something wrong with their first (or 2nd, or 3rd lol)

My decision (or almost 100% sure decision) is that if there are any problems out of the box or within the time I can return it, is that it is going back to Apple and I get a full refund. Then re-order, perhaps after waiting a bit. I don't want the potentially refurbished, or potentially slightly different quality replacements. (i could be too paranoid...)
I am curious why it seems other people, while they still have the option of returning for refund, and then re-ordering if they choose, generally go for replacements instead.

I suspect a certain amount of people just don't want to wait. Or some don't have their old phone as backup anymore, perhaps. But can that truly account for all, when it is quite the investment, and at least some people are likely to be as picky/paranoid as I am about having a NEW phone (without the questioning of these replacement phones that goes on in my head) that is in functioning, pristine form? Am I missing something? Does apple frown on this behaviour? lol I dunno...

My other strategy (perhaps unfounded) is that a new phone, later, could mean more problems have been solved, that the batch my phone comes from will be 'healthier', making it worth the wait of re-ordering, in the event of defects.
Just curious about human behaviour here. Is there anyone that choses to return (still have the window of time to) and reorder, vs. replace as a rule?