A story perhaps worth reading (The digital camera)

Laurie & I recently purchased a digital camera from an online distributor. After a couple of days, though no fault of our own, the camera ceased functioning. We had already recycled the packaging which was required to return. We returned it anyway.

They sent us a the following message.

Dear Valued Customer,

Thanks again for shopping at Name-of-vendor.com.

We recently received your RMA, and your return was then sent to our Inspections Department for closer examination. We regret to inform you that the accessories that were included with this particular item were not returned.

We only received the (DC KODAK|EASYSHARE C913 SL RT)
Here is what we are missing:
Incomplete return
All items returned to Name of Vendor must be received in their entirety 100% complete to process RMA, item cannot be processed as received.

Return is missing: the retail box.

I sent them the following reply:

To Whom it May Concern,
Regarding your message about RMA#xxxxxx

You addressed you email to "Dear Valued Customer." I'm a first time customer and must say I am not feeling very valued. I hope my family was not wrong for referring me to your website. It is very disappointing to have purchased a camera expecting it to work, to have returned it, only to learn that I can not be helped because I have already recycled the container the item came in.

I understand that there was no original box. The reason that we had no box was that we purchased your product under the assumption that your business was selling me quality merchandise and therefore, I would not need to hold on to unnecessary packaging. For the first few days, the product seemed to be working appropriately (consequently, I believed the box was thereafter unimportant) and then all-of-a-sudden, out-of-nowhere, when I least expect it, yet most desired to take a picture, the camera stopped working appropriately. Meanwhile, we recycled the packaging, which up until that point, I assume would have still worked for its original purpose. I did however, return the camera in a box, just not the original box.

If a box is so terribly important, you can replace the item with a new one and keep the box from the new product. I don't have much need for the box, just the camera. In fact, I was not even aware I was paying for the box, or I would have asked you to keep that from the start, as I could use the money saved more readily than the box. As for the box I sent you, feel free to keep at no extra charge, or recycle it, or if it works for you, send the replacement camera to me in it.

Of course, I would appreciate it if you could pay the shipping back to me as I already paid to send it back to you and further still have conveniently missed all of the holiday picture taking opportunities because of the malfunctioning camera, which incidentally, your business has kept in some store room for over a week.

If none of this seems to work for you, then could you repair the camera I had (at no charge to me) and return it, in any kind of box that will transport it safely to me in proper working condition. I'm really not picky, I just assume when I spend a lot of money on a camera that it will actually work. I'd really like a functioning camera, they make better pictures that way.

Thank you for your cooperation and timely response.
Sincerely,
Joe White

They sent me: first, a email saying they would fix it and then, a new camera, complete with retail packaging.