Always strive to learn something useful. --Sophocles

Apparently socks get returned to the store all the time or the package gets opened at the store to see what size they are, ruining their resale value. It's just easier to have them in a ziplock container so that the consumer can see the actual product without having to resort to vandalism! And why do I know this? You try guessing if a kid who wears size 12 girls shoes will fit into size 2 socks. The sizing is all screwy. Same goes for kids underwear. I imagine Hanes just switched over all the packages to avoid the Walmart Destroyed Packaging phenomenon.