Businesses should just be open as to how they do things instead of using non defined buzzwords and we're good, I guess. But we all know and understand why that's not gonna happen.
As for sewing the uppers, maybe it's just cause I'm not used to ever seeing handsewn ones that makes it easy for me to accept machine sewn ones as handmade. It's also completely a waste of time and energy to handsewn them, nothing practical is really gained from it, while you could argue a saddle stitch does add some longevity to a wallet, bag or belt.
Again, no true answer but for me it's a feels thing, and I feel this is correct for me.