That is paying for return shipping.
that's what I said above.... not sure why the OP had to pay for return shipping when it was a defective product.
I have Otterbox Defender cases for my last 5 smartphones and tablets.
When the tab or cover broke, Otterbox only requires me to email them a digital photo showing the broken part. They shipped out replacement free of charge very quickly.
Or when I ordered a $250 replacement Osram CBI HID bulb. The bulb arrived slightly wobbly at the base. The seller told to place the bulb inside a heavyduty plastic bag and break the bulb. They also only want a picture showing the bulb in pieces. A replacement $250 bulb was shipped to me via FedEx overnight.
Guess not every company handle customer service that way?