Well, here's hoping

Doing my first-ever Amazon return (the item arrived damaged. I ordered a second one from a different seller - for less money! and it came today and was fine). I printed out the shipping label and all for it.

Fortunately I had a box that fit that I could send it back in. I was sitting at my desk this morning contemplating having to run out to the store for a box and thinking "How stupid is it that I might have to spend $4 in order to get a $15 reimbursement?" but then I decided to look at home....and found that the box my Webby Vanderquack came in would work.

I was also lucky on another "hurdle" - I didn't want to have to go to the post office (it's hot, and also our post office isn't exactly air conditioned, and you wind up standing in line FOR EVER) but as I was stepping out the door going "Man, I guess I *have* to" the postal truck was coming up the street so I was able to hand it off to my mail carrier instead.

I'm *slightly* apprehensive as this was a third-party seller who basically backhanded me with "Oh you have to do returns through AMAZON" and I hope they are correct on that.

I don't know. I wish there were some other option for things. I would really rather buy things in person because then you know they're not damaged (this was missing a couple parts - the seller obviously sent it out like that) and yeah, yeah, I know about the dystopia of working at Amazon, but honestly? My only other options are (a) Wal-Mart (which is not much karmically better, and also the local store doesn't carry a lot of things I might want) or (b) wait until I can drive to Sherman, and even then, maybe drive around a lot and maybe not find what I want anyway.

(Confession: this was not a vital item. It was a fun item. So yeah, first world problems and all)

This is why I don't usually like doing things like buying clothes or especially shoes by mail order: the fact that you might have to try two or three times to get the right fit, and have to return stuff.

Edited to add: they already processed the refund! I guess the postal guy scanned the label when I gave him the box, and Amazon got word it had been sent off, and trusted it to get there. So now I have $15 in Amazon scrip to spend, I guess.

(No....looks like they reimbursed my credit card. Well, I'll have to remember to check the statement to be sure I got the refund)