The Wall Street Journalreports that Saks launched a private sales event called Fashion Fix earlier this week. The sales were restriced to shoppers who received invitation emails from Saks. The WSJ says Saks may be trying to compete with sites like Gilt.com, RueLaLa and HauteLook that run members-only sales.
Saks on Tuesday launched a 36-hour sale, dubbed Fashion Fix, open only to those who received emails from Saks directing them to the site. The limited time sale will be followed by another test in November, it said Wednesday.
The realm of online "private sales" so far has been dominated by a small number of retail startups that specialize in the limited-time sales of discount designer apparel. Their Web sites, including Gilt.com, RueLaLa and HauteLook, have built a following with virally marketed, daily "members only" sales.
The Wall Street Journal says the Saks sales event featured a clock that counted down the remaining time.
The site features a large clock that counts down the hours, minutes and seconds, for placing orders. Quantities are limited, although Saks doesn't divulge how much of each item is on hand. The site on Wednesday had "sold out" listed across some items, however.
All these sites hope to incite shoppers to rush to purchase items at half of the manufacturer suggested retail price. An Alexander McQueen jersey dress, with a suggested price of $1,250, is offered on the site at an "event price" of $625.
The WSJ article doesn't say whether the Saks test was a success. However, some items were listed as sold out. The upstart flash discounters that Saks is trying to compete with appear to be diong well.
The Wall Street Journal 
