<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-11</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000812900</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SAKS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SKS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001075708</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ERVING JULIUS W II</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2 MAGIC PLACE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>8701 MAITLAND SUMMIT BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ORLANDO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>32810</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Non-Qualified Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.34</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-12-11</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-06-11</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>76000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Stock option vests and becomes exercisable as follows:  20% in 6 months; 20% on 1 year anniversary; 20% on 2 year anniversary; 20% on 3 year anniversary; and 20% on 4 year anniversary.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Stock Option grant.  No Price.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Julius W. Erving</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-20</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

