Most expect to shop in stores about as much as before
Core finding
Most Americans expect their in-store shopping in 2026 to look about like last year's: 70% plan to shop in physical stores about the same amount, according to a Verasight survey conducted Dec. 22, 2025 to Jan. 5, 2026.
Roughly equal shares expect to shift in either direction, 15% more and 13% less, while just 2% do not plan to shop in stores at all.
Topline distribution
Most expect to shop in stores about as much as before.
Compared to 2025, do you expect to do each of the following activities more or less in 2026? Item: Shop in physical stores
n = 1,000 · Dec 22, 2025 – Jan 5, 2026 · MoE ±3.1%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | United States adults |
| Field dates | Dec 22, 2025 – Jan 5, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.1% |
| Module | predictions |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight for AI and predictions questions; weight_popculture for pop culture questions |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/2026-predictions
- Shop in physical stores
Cite this question
2026 Predictions Survey #2025-183, fielded December 22, 2025-January 5, 2026, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.1%.