Sales Tax--New York City sales tax is 8.25%, but it is not added to clothing and footwear items under $110. If you're visiting from out of state, consider having your purchases shipped directly home to avoid paying sales tax.

Additional Sources for Serious Shoppers--If you're looking for specific items, check the shopping listings at www.newyork.citysearch.com, www.timeoutny.com, and www.nymetro.com before you leave home.

For an online guide to sample sales designer bargains, you can't do better than the free registration site www.nysale.com, which will let you in on unadvertised sales taking place throughout the city.

Hard information about current sales, new shops, sample and close-out sales, and special art, craft, and antiques shows is best found in the "Check Out" section of Time Out New York or the "Sales & Bargains," "Best Bets," and "Smart City" sections of New York magazine. New York also runs daily updates of these features at www.nymetro.com, and Time Out usually publishes a twice-yearly shopping guide that's usually available on newsstands for about 6 bucks.

Another source is www.girlshop.com, a website dedicated to New York insider fashion news. In 2002, Girlshop.com initiated walking tours where a girlshop "guru" and other gals will take you on a tour of hip designer boutiques. The tour, which includes 4 hours of shopping, a snack, a discount card, and the recently published Girlshop Guide to NYC Shopping, is $80.

Open Hours--Open hours can vary significantly from store to store -- even different branches of the Gap can keep different schedules depending on location and management. Generally, stores open at 10 or 11am on Monday through Saturday, and 7pm is the most common closing hour (although sometimes it's 6pm). Both opening and closing hours tend to get later as you move downtown; stores in the East Village often don't open until 1 or 2pm, and they stay open until 8pm or later.

All of the big department stores are open 7 days a week. However, unlike department stores in suburban malls, most of these stores don't keep a regular 10am to 9pm schedule. The department stores, and shops along major strips like Fifth Avenue, usually stay open later 1 night a week (often Thurs), although not all shops may comply. Sunday hours are usually noon to 5 or 6pm. Most shops are open 7 days a week, but smaller boutiques may close 1 day a week; in addition, some neighborhoods virtually shut down on a particular day -- namely the Lower East Side on Saturday, the East Village on Monday, and most of the Financial District for the weekend. But at holiday time, anything goes: Macy's often stays open until midnight for the last couple of weeks before Christmas!

Your best bet is to call ahead if your heart's set on visiting a particular store.