Just to address what seems to be the original question of whether it's normal to receive a brand new laptop with a dead battery.
I would say that while it's not common to get a new system with a dead battery, that may not mean anything. It depends entirely on how much charge the battery had when it was boxed up and how long it sat on a shelf in a warehouse before it was sold. If the battery wasn't charged up fully and it sat for a long time, then yes, it's entirely possible for the battery to be dead upon receipt.
That's really a non-issue; what you want to know is how it works once it's been charged. Most electronics advise fully charging the device when you first get it, so that's the first order of business. Charge it up to 100% then see how long it lasts on battery power under normal usage. After a few cycles there should be sufficient data to say whether the battery is in working condition or not.