Where did good customer service go?

The list could be longer than Santa's to name the many things that merchants now do, or do not do for a customer.I sat one evening thru a small area storm.Although we pay a large monthly fee to ATT&T,Direct TV, & CMA Cable,all three were out of service. The weather was not a major storm. Yesterday I made the 20+ mile trip to Meridian to purchase a scope for a rifle. The rifle being from my younger days I asked for assistance to insure the scope would mount correctly on an older gun. "Oh yes, the man said, if it don't work or suit you bring it back." pffftt! I don't want to "bring it back. Long way with high gas prices, & the time could be spent hunting with the blasted thing!" Get home & it does not fit!!!!!! No trouble for the sales rep. right? Back to town again! When I returned to the store I could not believe the number of products being returned,how fast the reps. were taking it all back in. Like "No Skin off my Back". Ha..one lady brought back 1 roll of red Christmas ribbon! The thought crossed my mind many of these items returned may have been avoided had the salesperson been more educated on the product or taken more time with a customer? I think if I were a supervisor of that store...meetings would be held as to why this waste was at a high rate.

Who suffers from this? The customer,or the manufacturer of the returned product...things are too easy to brush off & we are such a spoiled & wasteful country!