Bad Amazon Marketplace Seller, Good Amazon.com Rep

This is one of those "worst nightmare" scenarios when dealing with online independent seller marketplaces. I ordered the Oxford Book of Christmas Stories on a whim a few weeks ago. I chose a seller based on the right price and a 99% approval rating, but on the lower end of actual sales (around 200). He didn't send one of those "just mailed" emails I love to get from sellers, but it isn't required or expected. A few weeks go by, and it got close to the end of the expected arrival date. Typically, my orders get here around the first day of the expected arrival date, but maybe the mail is being screwy or something. I emailed the seller 5 days before the end of arrival date, just to see if everything is going ok. I got no answer. I emailed 2 days before the end of arrival date, with another inquiry if the package was lost in the mail, or mailed to another address, or something. No answer.
Here I am today, at the end of the arrival period. I used Amazon's wonderful new phone service (enter your phone number and someone will call you back immediately) to ensure that I was using the proper documenting procedures, and the rep was very friendly and helpful. She said to email him again today, and then file a report 3 days later to get my money back, noting how many times I had attempted to contact him and the lack of response (I'm not holding my breath). Thank heavens Amazon has the money back return policy, even if there is a 5-time limit. This type of scenario is the reason I don't buy books from Ebay.