Does no sanding primer really work?

We are moving into a brand new construction home in a few weeks and want to paint the cabinets white. The cabinets have oak veneer inserts. We chose the lightest natural stain that the builder offers. We want to paint the cabinets white before we start using the kitchen. Since the cabinets will be brand new, a local paint store suggested we simply apply a special bonding primer that would not require pre-sanding. Has anyone tried this? I am afraid the paint will chip off if we don't scuff up the surface a little before applying the primer.