Is it normal for an extension cord to have plugs on both ends?

Returned one of these a couple years back, same deal, plug on both ends. Mine came out of a big box store and the customer service desk didn't even blink. They swapped it for a normal cord on the spot. The packaging is your proof, since the label showed a receptacle end and the product inside doesn't match, that's a factory defect, not a customer return situation. Torn sleeve doesn't matter for that kind of exchange. Worst case they say no and you call the number on the cord's jacket, most of those manufacturers will ship you a replacement or a prepaid label once you describe it.

I keep an actual double-male cord in my truck for tying my portable generator into the house panel through an interlock, and even that one is 10 gauge with a locking plug on both ends. A light duty 16 gauge cord with two male ends isn't a generator cord, that's just a factory mixup where the receptacle end got skipped. I'd take a photo of both ends next to the label before you head back to the store, some places want the picture for thier defect log before they'll do an exchange.

Funny timing, I found one of these in a box of my dad's old stuff last fall, except his was actually a homemade thing someone spliced togehter. Scared me enough that I cut the ends off and tossed the cord. Yours being factory sealed makes way more sense to just take back though.

Question for you, do you still have the receipt? I'm new here so maybe this is common knowledge, but when I had a defective item once the store wanted some proof of purchase even for an exchange. Not sure if the package itself is enough.

Not sold on the idea that the torn sleeve is a non-issue. When I tried returning an opened extension cord at a similar store they pointed at the sign saying opened electrical items could only be exchanged, not refunded, and the guy at the desk was real strict about it. An exchange for the same item is no good here since the whole stock might be fine, so I'd bring the receipt too, not just the packaging. Depends heavily on who's working the desk that day, honestly. Call ahead if you can and ask them to check the box on the shelf.

Update: took it back to the service desk and they swapped it for a normal cord with zero fuss, so that part's done. The catch is they'd only do an exchange, no refund, since the sleeve was torn, which lines up with what one of you said about opened electrical stuff. Anyone know if the defective cord they took from me actually gets reported back to the manufacturer, or does it just end up in a bin somewhere?