Warning: Having caught so much flack for its unrestrained discounting last year, Saks is hoping to reintroduce a "full-price mentality" among consumers this holiday season. Analysts, however, seriously doubt whether Saks will stick to its guns when its competitors start getting sale-happy.One rival in particular is expected to cause trouble for Saks: "Big bets on holiday inventory by Bloomingdale's will likely force continued discounts through early next year," one source tells The Post. [NY Post]
We, for one, don't think Saks -- or the brands it's trying to appease -- understand just how much the Web is affecting the marketplace. Along with the success of designer discount sites like Gilt.com, specialized e-tailers (most of which we list on the left) are multiplying like mad, and obviously resorting to price-reductions to compete.
As the S/S '09 sale season slowly winds down, we're sad to report that some stores seem unlikely to cross the 50%-off threshold. For one, eschewing the 75%-off markdowns of last season, the city's Paul Smith boutiques are packing up S/S as we speak. Thankfully, though, our favorite “
