Annual Black Friday sales are quickly approaching. In person shopping was put on pause for a couple of years due to the pandemic, but now shoppers are slowly but surely returning to stores.

With covid halting in person shopping, brands had to implement online sales in replacement of a traditional Black Friday. Some shoppers have chosen to stick with the online alternative, even after covid.

The popularity of Cyber Monday has also drawn people away from shopping in stores. It started in 2005 and has quickly gained traction, along with similar campaigns like Amazon Prime Day.

Stores like Ulta Beauty even started extending their sales to the whole week leading up to Black Friday.

Out of a poll of 78 people held on Instagram, 16 people said they shop online only, six said in person only, 42 said both and 14 said they don’t Black Friday shop at all. Junior Abby Lewis May was one of the 14 people that said they shop online only.

“Shopping online is more efficient and easy because you can do it from the comfort of your own home,” Lewis May said. “You can visit more shops at once.”

However, some still opt for shopping in brick-and-mortar stores. Junior Ava Nichter prefers it.

“I like in person shopping because I like the instant satisfaction and being able to know what I’m getting,” Nichter said.

Some choose to avoid the chaos all together and skip out on Black Friday as a whole. Junior Taleigha Archie is one such person.

“It’s stressful and I feel like it’s a really big scam to get people to waste their money,” Archie said.

Despite some people choosing to avoid Black Friday, it’s still one of the highest-grossing retail holidays. According to a study by ABC Business, consumers spent $9.0 billion on Black Friday in 2020 even with Covid circulating. The total is expected to increase this year.

The savings on Black Friday include sales from Ulta Beauty, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Kohl’s and Bath and Body Works among countless other online stores and smaller vendors. Some stores have gained a reputation for their discounted Black Friday prices.

“I really like Old Navy, they have a lot of good deals around the holidays,” Lewis May said.