whiskeyjack

Thank you all for your responses.

As I mentioned, I bear some of the blame for this because I just did not realize that online retailers are not obligated to have a return policy. After doing a little digging, it turns out that MOST of the ebay sellers marketing these things don't have a return policy. You get an 800 number to the service center: that's the 'return policy'. The online retailer is not responsible for defective units.

Robcayman and and luke35whelan:

I thought to take this up with PayPal and Ebay but it's best to choose battles you have a chance to win. And you're right, Luke: I would be freezing my butt off on a deer stand before the PayPal/Ebay wheels stopped turning. Your suggestion about buying a couple from another source and returning the defective ones after the fact is not necessarily a bad idea since there would be a certain justice in it for the company who allowed them out the door in the first place. . . I can't imagine what passes for quality control in China. But I'd still be paying for four units instead of only the two I need.

Outdoorsfeller and CRP:

I FINALLY got through to Moultrie in Alabama and asked for a Return Authorization. Stupid on my part. Since I didn't buy them from Moultrie in Alabama, there can be no "Return Authorization". So, after explaining the entire sordid story, the lady I was speaking with expressed more than a little disgust with the online retailers - it's been a problem for Moultrie because they are swamped with defective stuff purchased from other-than-authorized dealers. I expressed my disgust with the situation but there was obviously nothing they could do to help get money back: they service these units under the one-year warranty with the option of repairing or replacing.

She was very knowledgeable, very patient and very accommodating. She suggested I send them in with a detailed explanation of what was wrong with each unit. I asked about turn-around time: she said probably about two weeks. She added that my experience with these cameras was not typical and they function very well for their price-point when they work as they're suppose to. We'll see come September 18 or so.

As for the online guy. . . . I emailed him a note of apology for my unkind words and stupidity for not asking about a return policy but explained that I did not feel right in leaving any feedback for him.
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Just a note for anyone who plans on using Ebay/PayPal for anything electronic of this nature (trail cams, digicams. computers, etc). The prices are competitive but LOOK FOR A RETURN POLICY. If the auction says, "Return Policy Not Specified", there isn't one. The seller will side-step your question by saying, "We consider returns on a case-by-case basis." You'll be dealing with a 800-number-menu-driven answering service telling you that "Due to unusually high caller volume wait times are considerable. Your call is important to us" (but not important enough for them to hire more staff to answer the phone).

Here's a breakdown of my costs for this deal:
$220 for two D-40's delivered;
5 hours screwing around with the cameras trying to get them to work;
2 hours phone time: 1.5 hours over four days trying to get in touch with
Moultrie, the other half-hour actually speaking with the repair
department;
.5 hour to pack the units up for shipping;
1 hour travel time to drop them at UPS;
$10 shipping to send them off to Moultrie in Alabama;
2-3 weeks turn-around time to replace/repair them.

These sell for around $159 locally which is about a 50% mark-up. Hindsight being what it is, I should have supported my local sport shop. I'll do things differently next time around.

Thanks again for your responses. I'm a little wiser now.