STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Okay...I am wondering if I'm being too picky on this. I purchased a vintage purse on eBay, knowing that "vintage" can be a very broad definition. Well...it wasn't a new purse, which was fine; however, when I received it, one side (the side that was not shown in the pic) had the material STAPLED together just below the metal frame...as if it had ripped, and someone stapled it back together.

No mention of this was made at all in the listing, and of course the pic was only of the good side. I immediately wrote the seller and told her that I would send it back and that I expected a refund. She wrote and said that "normally she doesn't do this" but that she would refund my money. So I mailed it back last week ($3.85 to ship it) and she refunded my original purchase price and shipping. I'd already indicated that I expected my additional shipping to be refunded as well, since she clearly had not listed an honest description of the item.

All along, the seller has been stating that she doesn't see anything wrong with it, there was nothing wrong with it when she listed it...now that she has it back in her hands, she still indicates that it is not flawed! Grrr...am I expecting too much to push for my return shipping to be credited as well? I am certainly not going to die if I don't recoup the ~$4, but the fact that she's either blind or accusing me of lying is really irritating me.

Thoughts from experienced eBayers? This is the first time (believe it or not!) in many years, that I have not had an item meet my expectations. I'm not *that* picky, but really - the material stapled together? That's a bit much, IMO.