Shoppers jumped out of bed the day after Christmas to hit post-holiday sales — to treat themselves.
Saks Fifth Avenue opened its doors at 8 a.m. so luxury shoppers could sprint inside for smoking-hot deals on everything from Armani suits to Valentino handbags.
“The sales are great! But it is stressful. I’m visiting New York and just happened to be here for this. It’s crazy,” said Jessie Shapiro, 25, a student visiting from Atlanta who bought a $170 cashmere scarf for a $100.
“I’m buying for myself. I’m very selfish today!” crowed Queens student Michelle Dee, 19, who also sprinted into Saks as soon as the doors opened and spent $450 on two coats that would normally have cost $900.
“It’s going pretty good, a little crazy. I got Jimmy Choo shoes for $250, $400 less than usual!” said Brooklyn student Elena Padiner, 22, who got to Saks at 7:30 a.m. to be among the first in the door.
Padiner was accompanied by her unhappy boyfriend, who would only say, “I’m tired.”
Some shoppers were still focused on gift-giving — but one Saks shopper’s strategy might put her on Santa’s naughty list.
“I get last-minute gifts. Get something really nice and people think you spent all this money when you really didn’t, so it works. Just say the shipping was late,” said theatrical makeup artist Lindsey Reit, 29, who scored a Valentino handbag, normally over $500, for just $116.
Downtown near Union Square, Sunset Park financial analyst Eva Tang, 23, was scouring the lower end of the market.
“I do accounting. We are trained to save as much as possible. Right now is the best time to shop,” said Tang.
Maintenance worker Angelo Dalman, 52, snuck out from his Union Square building on his coffee break to snag an HMDX Jam Plus bluetooth speaker for $39 instead of $59.
“You gotta get something for yourself sometimes. You can’t leave yourself off the list,” said Dalman, who had already bought presents for his wife and 17-year-old daughter.
Some shoppers praised the retail workers who helped them save big bucks.
“The salesmen were very patient, very calm. We’re very impressed considering the crowds. They pushed [to make the sale] and really helped us a lot,” said Randy Segato, 50, a Canadian oilman who saved over $2,000 on an Armani suit at Saks.
Some retailers are continuing their holiday sales post-Christmas.
Macy’s “Week of Wonderful,” a weeklong shopping extravaganza begins just after Christmas and offers fresh merchandise to kick off the new year.