Perils of Ordering items online from overseas.

I recently ordered a piece of sprts memorabilia from the UK, I wont bore you with what it was because someone will lynch me for supporting the team i do, and the service was fine and the item arrived within an understandable time limit and everything but to my horror when it was arrived it was badly damaged now I am left in the position that I cannot send t back because it will cost almost as much to as the item did in the first place, this has put me off online shopping, not that I bought that much online anyway. And It leads me to believe that online Shopping will not become the norm, rather then going out to a shop, as some people are predicting and rathersomewhat at the core of human nature we want to Try before we Buy. Especially since many people myself included are fundamentally pessimists and are sceptical of what they are truly getting if they do not get to sample the item first.