Shoppers in the DeKalb area should be able to return unwanted gifts and purchases with ease this holiday season.

Despite the increase of returns and exchanges that come during the holiday season, many retailers said they will not change their return policies, although stores do have the option.

Local retailers are free to establish their own rules and regulations on exchanges and returns, said Kim Kubiak, executive director of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce.

She said she does not expect to see any drastic changes from retailers regarding return policies any time soon.

“We’ve never gotten any complaints about returns or return policies in the past, so I don’t see a problem this season,” Kubiak said.

Staying consistent with return policies is a priority to the Wal-Mart in DeKalb, 2300 Sycamore Road, said customer service associate Bridget Zurcaher.

“We have the same policies throughout the year. There is no difference or changes around Christmastime,” Zurcaher said.

Wal-Mart allows 90 days to return a purchase with a receipt for a full refund, Zurcaher said.

She said any item – excluding electronics – can be returned without a receipt as long as a valid driver’s license is presented. Wal-Mart limits its customers to three returns within 45 days for items without a receipt.

Other stores have not set a limit on the number of times a customer can return an item.

Kohl’s has an “open return policy,” said Gina Bogdanowicz, an assistant store manager at Kohl’s in DeKalb, 2306 Sycamore Road.

“There’s always something we can do to help [a customer] out,” Bogdanowicz said. “We don’t require a receipt and we don’t have a time period for it to be returned by.”

But returning an item with a receipt is the only way to ensure a full refund, Bogdanowicz said.

She said without a receipt, store credit is given at whatever the cost the item is that day.

Stores selling electronics tend to have stricter guidelines for exchanges and returns.

Best Buy has policies similar to Wal-Mart but without limiting the number of returns. The store has stricter time frames than Wal-Mart, however, and allows 30 days for a full refund on unopened items with a receipt.