What I would like to know in part is, whether or not I may have been ripped
off, since the plant was sold to me as "in-spike",
Did you pay more for the plant? If so and it is not in spike perhaps you might
feel like you were ripped off. If you feel that you did not get what you
expected why not contact the seller and arrange to send the plant back.

I may not have bought
it if it had been listed as "blooming size" but not in spike.

If you wanted this particular species why would you have not purchased it just
because it was not in spike but was of blooming size.

Buying a plant in spike or bud does not guarantee that it will bloom. The buds
and spikes can be damaged in shipping regardless of how well they are packaged.
I don't know of any orchid supplier selling mail order or shipping plants that
would guarantee the blooms on a plant.