A High Point University Poll has found that an overwhelming majority (76 percent) of North Carolinians do not plan to shop on the Friday after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday.

Almost the same number of respondents (78 percent) will be staying out of the stores on Thanksgiving Day, as well. This sentiment is echoed when asked their opinion about businesses that require their employees to work on Thanksgiving Day. A majority of respondents (69 percent) disapproved of businesses that mandate the holiday for employees.

“Consumers like to do business with companies that share the same values that they have,” says Dr. Jennifer Burton, assistant professor of marketing at HPU. “Therefore, the HPU Poll suggests that companies will not experience the customer and sales volumes that they expect by staying open long hours on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Large crowds are another turnoff for customers. These are the reasons that retailers experienced an 11 percent decline in consumers and a 5 percent decrease in sales over the four-day holiday weekend in 2014. This is also why there is an increase in the percentage of consumers shopping online.”

When North Carolinians do shop for the holidays, they plan to do most of their shopping at brick and mortar stores (51 percent) versus solely online (27 percent).

“The question still remains whether stores will bring in the same amount of profits on Black Friday because people are more likely to spend time with their families on Thanksgiving and the day after,” says Dr. Daniel Hall, assistant professor of economics at HPU.

A majority (57 percent) of North Carolinians say they’ll spend the same amount of money on the holidays this year compared to last year. When asked how much they plan to spend, the poll found that on average, $1,009 will be spent on gifts, food, decorations and other items related to the holidays.

“The North Carolinians we surveyed are planning to go out to the stores to spend their money this year,” says Brian McDonald, assistant director of the HPU Poll and adjunct professor. “They will only spend about the same as last year, and most will wait until after the Thanksgiving weekend.”