Shopping becomes a hybrid experience, as stores and smartphones intersect

Daniel Lamplugh remembers going shopping with his dad on Black Friday. “Waking up at 6 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving is what I grew up doing,” says the University of New Orleans film student.

A lot has changed since those childhood days. Online retailers have forced many chains out of business. Consumers are increasingly shopping with their smartphones. Some have said the days of Black Friday – and the physical store itself – are numbered.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the future: Most shoppers are not going all-digital. Surveys show they’re eager for good experiences at retail stores. And all those Millennials doing their shopping on their phones? It turns out that they’re skipping shopping