Meurglys just said what I was thinking.
In other words, this type of return could be more irksome for an independent book store to deal with than for a national chain. The chains have more favorable deals with distributors & better return policies with distributors/publishers. Also, since the chains are returning books in larger batches they pay relatively less postage in doing so.
I buy and read lots of books, some I like, and some I don’t.
I have done this exactly once. It’s not that I didn’t like the book. Ths book was out and out badly written. It was from an author that I like a lot, but this book just wasn’t up to her standard.
By returning it, I was trying to make a statement to the publishers and the author that they should be doing better.
If I buy a piece of clothing, get it home and find it is badly put together, it goes right back to the store. In this case, I felt the same way.
Well, I went back to the bookstore, book in hand, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it! Instead, what did I do? Bought another book! 
The Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood. (Someone, save me from myself!!!)
I bought a book that was critical of Pope Pius 12, and when I got home, went on the web to discover the author was biased, his research sucked and he lied a lot.
So I went back (to Borders) and it was a no sweat encounter. The book was still pristine, I got a credit and lived happily ever after.
Months and months later, I went back to use that credit (which I had recently rediscovered in my wallet). The clerk told me the credit expired, “I can’t believe that,” I said. “Please call the Manager.” He did and the Manager agreed with me.
Used the money to get another book.
My wife can read a paperback and never crack the spine or do anything that would make the book look one iota less than brand new. I cannot.
I bought a book that was critical of Pope Pius 12, and when I got home, went on the web to discover the author was biased, his research sucked and he lied a lot.
So I went back (to Borders) and it was a no sweat encounter. The book was still pristine, I got a credit and lived happily ever after.
Months and months later, I went back to use that credit (which I had recently rediscovered in my wallet). The clerk told me the credit expired, “I can’t believe that,” I said. “Please call the Manager.” He did and the Manager agreed with me.
Used the money to get another book.
My wife can read a paperback and never crack the spine or do anything that would make the book look one iota less than brand new. I cannot.
I bought a book that was critical of Pope Pius 12, and when I got home, went on the web to discover the author was biased, his research sucked and he lied a lot.
So I went back (to Borders) and it was a no sweat encounter. The book was still pristine, I got a credit and lived happily ever after.
Months and months later, I went back to use that credit (which I had recently rediscovered in my wallet). The clerk told me the credit expired, “I can’t believe that,” I said. “Please call the Manager.” He did and the Manager agreed with me.
Used the money to get another book.
My wife can read a paperback and never crack the spine or do anything that would make the book look one iota less than brand new. I cannot.