Quince’s First Sample Sale Draws Hours-Long Lines and Sells Out Early

The two-day sale in San Francisco, which featured photo-shoot and model samples, wrapped early after crowds lined up four blocks deep. Some shoppers arrived three hours before opening, and inventory across towels, candles and the brand’s $50 cashmere sweaters was completely depleted ahead of schedule.

The strong response surpassed company expectations, according to Dakota Kate Isaacs, Quince’s head of brand strategy and narrative. She said the event offered a rare chance to meet customers in person.

Quince, which launched in 2020 and has surpassed $2 billion in sales, is increasingly exploring physical retail. Earlier this year, the digitally native brand operated pop-ups in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto to display a wider assortment as it expands into new product categories.

The sample sale marks another step in Quince’s push to engage shoppers beyond e-commerce. "We spend a lot of time talking to consumers and building insights from conversations — but that’s usually happening in our DMs or over the phone or on a Zoom call," Isaacs said. "As a digital-first brand, we don’t really get to be with them in real life on a Saturday morning, with a coffee in hand, their dogs with them, and see how Quince actually fits into their life."