All of those analogies are garbage
If I buy a PS3 + Games at Best Buy and I decide to return the PS3, I can also bring back the games and they will take them back.
It depends on the store's policy. Many stores do not allow refunds on opened games.
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The best thing is to plead the case to Apple for a refund based on the premise that you bought it with the intention of keeping the iPhone 4 - but you realize that you suffer too much from the reception issue and you are returning it. You would love to use iMovie on your touch or 3GS - but it doesn't work on that. Please issue me a refund.
This is the correct answer, as has been mentioned several times already. I bet the OP will get a refund if he is polite and civil and explains his predicament as samcraig did here.