Shopping in actual stores is en vogue again as 43% of Americans admit they miss the chaos of picking up in-person Black Friday deals.

A poll of 2,003 U.S. adults found 95% plan to participate in Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday events this year, with a third planning to shop both online and in stores.

Not having to wait in lines makes online sales for both days appealing, but the survey showed that a 63% majority consider in-person Black Friday shopping to be a tradition.

More Gen Z respondents than millennials cited immediate fulfillment as their primary driver to shop these events in person (81% vs. 49%).

Overall, 42% said in-store Black Friday shopping holds more importance for them than it did before the pandemic, including nearly half (49%) of male respondents.

But the poll revealed there are some parts of e-commerce that people wish they could bring into a brick-and-mortar store—such as being able to see what aisle an item is in (51%) and using promo codes or digital coupons (47%).

There are still barriers to in-store shopping though, like lack of convenience due to weather conditions and long lines (34%), seeing better deals online (34%), and health and safety concerns (33%).

"The pandemic has certainly made many people nostalgic for the in-person Black Friday experience, but it's also heightened their expectations," said Janelle Estes, Chief Insights Officer at UserTesting, which commissioned the random double-opt-in survey conducted by market research company OnePoll.

Despite ongoing inflation, nearly a third (31%) expect to spend more money on Black Friday and Cyber Monday than in previous years. The average person spent $440 three years ago and are ready to buy $557 worth of on-sale items in 2022.

"With 42% saying they plan to shop in the metaverse this year, brands must continuously work to become more ‘phygital', bridging the gap between the physical and digital customer experience," Janelle added. "That includes maintaining consistent quality both in-store and online."

BLACK FRIDAY 2022: IN-STORE SHOPPING MOTIVATORS -Instant gratification (i.e. avoiding backorders and shipping delays) – 46% -Being able to secure items ahead of time – 42% -Better customer experience in-store than online – 39% -Better deals in-store than online – 37% -Not having to fight over items with other people – 37% -Not having to wait in a long line of people – 37% -Having better sales or deals in person – 36% -Having it organized better – 36% -Curbside shopping – 28%

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