to a fairly bare-bones description and then passing judgment in the most presumptuous ways.

Fascinating to watch.

For those who invested heavily in this thread (including those who made personal attacks and those who complained about others' posts), here are some additional facts. See how well you did with your assumptions.
1. I was totally friendly and courteous throughout the entire interaction, smiling and being friendly with the UPS staff.
2. The fan was still in its original packaging and box. One flap had come undone while shipping to me.
3. It was totally an Amazon flub in sending the wrong item. I had ordered a different fan.
4. The UPS clerk scanned in the item but had not completed his screen work. Then he told me I needed to tape the box flap closed.
5. I told him I didn't have any tape. He told me he could tape the box with a single piece of tape. "That'll be $6."
6. I paused. I considered the choice the UPS guy was presenting me with. Still smiling. Then said, "No thanks," turned and walked out of the store.
7. He yelled at me that he was going to throw the item away. I just rolled my eyes, which he couldn't see as I had my back to him on my way out. After reading some of the posts in this thread, I really hope I didn't scar him for life when I didn't respond. Give this post a thumbs down if you think I should return and offer to pay for his mental health counseling.
8. I assumed there would be no refund. I was right. Amazon still got its money. Unfortunately, UPS didn't get paid to make that return. I let UPS make the call on that one.
9. I never complained to anyone until this CB post. I didn't call Amazon. I didn't make up a story or try to lie to rip anyone off. If the UPS folks wanted to get paid for the return by putting a piece of tape on the box and sending it on, they had all the info they needed to do it. I lost interest and moved on with my day. If they did, fine. If they didn't, fine.
10. I could have carried the box out to my car and lugged it back home, I suppose. But I know myself well enough to know I'm not going to make two trips (it was surprising I was willing to make one) and, if I took it home, I would eventually have to lug the box out to the curb on trash day anyway.
11. I'm pretty sure no UPS workers were harmed in the making of this story. The guy there got to feel satisfied that he threw a fan in the trash rather than give away a whole piece of free tape. Maybe the kid needed a fan and took it home to install at his own place. That's fine. Amazon didn't have to pay UPS for the return on that item. I wasn't the reason for any changes in policy that increased costs for any of you fine people or any stores clamping down on returns.
12. The point of the op was that I really don't have the time or patience to try multiple times to fix a screwup by someone deep inside the Amazon machine. And I don't have the patience to argue with $6-per-piece tape salesmen.

Anyway, thanks for the fascinating peek into human nature. The biggest takeaway is that people with a specific political persuasion on the board seem to let their political animosity spill over into everyday topics about nothing in particular. And a lot of people are willing to be rude to other people for — wait for it — being rude to other people.