Did you go to The Row sample sale 2024, or did you skip it but wondering how it all went? I’m here to share my experience.
I go to many many sample sales here in NYC, I mean it’s one of the things we do in New York. October and particularly this week happens to be a very busy one for sample sales. Yet, The Row Sample Sale is one of the most anticipated sample sales of all. It’s on a different level, so much so that people started lining up 26 hours prior to the opening. Imagine signing up to spend the entire night outside to buy things the next day, wild! Others traveled from Virginia, Texas and Florida just to be here and score a few pieces. But no judgment. Buy what you love, in the way that works for you.
This was my first year attending The Row Sample Sale and I felt like the experience is worth sharing. I usually go in with no expectations, but I’m not going to lie – I wanted the Sophia bag to greet me on a table (spoil alert, that didn’t happen). So let’s talk about The Row Sample Sale 2024.
If you prefer to have a visual of what the experience was like, I have a reel for you on my Instagram page – The Row Sample Sale Reel.
This blog post is all about The Row Sample Sale 2024. If you didn’t go or just want to hear someone else’s experience, this is it!
DECIDING ON GOING
This was tough quite frankly. I had just bought a pair of shoes this month from The Row and a bag from The Real Real (from The Row as well) at a steal price. So, I thought I am ok to collect things at this pace. I don’t need to buy things I don’t love just because they are at a steal price. I had decided to skip the sample sale altogether. Then I got a message from an amazing influencer and The Row bag collector I follow, who said that they were restocking daily and there were exotic skin bags, so I decided to go. I thought if there was ever a time I could own a lizard bag, it was going to be at a sample sale – you know, $$$$.
I mean, all I needed was a text and honestly, I was starting to get FOMO, so I talked myself into having a mental list and focus and letting go of things I start liking at the sample sale just because of the price point.
-
- I decided I wouldn’t wait longer than 2 hours
- If there was a line extending to half a block or more on arrival, I would not stand in line and I would leave. Because this would mean I wouldn’t get in with the initial group of shoppers.
- I would really stick to the things I was already on the lookout for, except classic style shoes
DISCOUNT
Everything was discounted at 75% off. As expected this is a sample sale and that is the discount you expect to see.
DATES
The Row Sample Sale 2024 went on for 4 days, 23rd to 26th of October. This was preceded by a friends and family sale on the 18th. That much I know because The Row customers who buy (a lot) more than I do, got invited and went on that day.
WAITING TIMES
This varied quite a bit between days. The first day, was insane as some people waited 26 hours prior to the doors opening. Throughout the day wait time was around 9 hours. Day 2, I know people got in, in the afternoon after a 15-minute wait. Day 3, I was there by 7:45 am 8th in line, which I couldn’t believe. I thought maybe I was at the wrong address. Wait time was 2 hours and 15 mins, which really wasn’t bad. I was considering going later in the day, but I wanted to catch the restocking. So, I felt I should either go all in early in the morning or skip it altogether.
THE LINE & WAIT TIME
There were two lines, Jimmy Choo and The Row. Jimmy Choo opened its doors before The Row, they barely had people standing in line 30 minute later. That was great because it created less traffic for when The Row’s sample sale started.
Obviously the more important the brand, the worse the experience to stand in line. It wasn’t long ago when police shut down the Versace Sample Sale, I think it was this year in March.
Thankfully, at the Row Sample Sale I was surrounded by really interesting and fun to talk to people. It was great because it didn’t feel like I waited that long. Eventually as more and more people started showing up closer to 9 am, people started to cut lines and join friends, or pretend they were there earlier and were coming back. It was really obnoxious. There was a bit of drama which soured my experience, but for The Row – anything.
After I exited, I saw this massive line, much longer than I thought it was before I went in. So more people were coming, and it probably extended half a block.
ENTRY
You must check in your coats, jackets, and bags at the entrance, you can keep your phone with you, however after you enter, they cover your phone’s front and back camera with a sticker. It is ok to use your phone to make calls and look things up, but you cannot take photos or record videos. I saw a guy who was trying to take photos, his phone was taken, photos deleted and I think he got kicked out.
THE STOCK
The sale was overall heavier in ready to wear, and boots, less bags – which doesn’t surprise me as they have no problem selling bag inventory. By day 3, less things were available and no restocking happened based on the observation of those who had visited the day prior. Here is a list of things I saw.
– No outerwear
– A few wool capes
– Dresses: Many dresses – wool, either strapless or with thin straps; and many silk options.
– Shirt like dresses with zip – the style Ashley has been seen wearing over pants.
– Pants: regular classic pants mostly straight leg and some leather pants, sizes 0-6
– Skirts: Knee length skirts sizes were either too small or size XL.
– Knitwear: I probably saw 4-6; those were gone before I got a chance to have a look. They seem to be larger sizes based on what I saw when I was in the fitting room.
– Shoes: Lots of random shoes, above the knee and ankle height boots, sandals, pumps, sneakers.
– Bags: Backpack 11 in leather (French beige) were on a separate table, envelope bags in exotic leather – lizard in tan, red and hunter green were on the register at check out.
– Limited men’s selection
– Limited children’s clothes – there was an adorable t-shirt that read The Row in a child’s handwriting type font.
FITTING ROOM
The usual large area you get in sample sales. You will have to look for an empty corner to share a rack with others so you can hang your clothes and try them on. Get ready to feel a little uncomfortable – you have zero privacy but no one cares. Everyone is so busy trying things on.
CLOCK IS TICKING
Not really, though. They kept saying you have one hour to shop and then you’re done. But I was certainly in for longer than an hour. As people left, others were going in. So, the groups going in weren’t being timed.
WHAT I GOT
– After seeing all the knitwear taken as I was walking towards the area, I saw one brown short sleeve knit in a small size left behind, 100% wool. It was in perfect condition. I snatched that. It was 282.50 (from 1130) + tax.
– In the shoe section, I wanted the knot sandals ever since I saw them more than a year ago (if not more), and I found a pair half a size larger (fit was fine), 272.50 (from 1090) + tax.
My total was 604.26 with tax.
It would have been 2417 with tax, had I purchased at full price.
I saw the envelope bag with a metallic gold chain that can be worn over the shoulder or cross body, in hunter green lizard leather. The price was a little more than $900 and I thought about having an exotic leather bag, but it really felt like an envelope, not substantial and I thought for the same price point I could buy a pair of shoes I really love, so I let it go.
The Row Dominic Wool Top with the back detail and The Flat Knot Sandal in black suede.
CHECKOUT: UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE
Something weird happened as I was exiting the sample sale. I had checked in only a bag and at the time the staff were asking us to take snapshots of our numbers in case we lose the little tags.
So, as I was leaving, I gave the staff my number and the guy read my number out loud to his colleague ‘number 13’ and they both panicked. I panicked even more and I started asking if they had lost my bag. After a very long 10 second pause, he explained to me that he remembered me dropping off my bag for some weird reason out of the many people who did, and shortly after me someone else stopped by right in front of the desk and decided to take a snapshot of their number and they were oddly reading their number out loud, which caught the attention of the staff. The gentleman noticed that the girl hadn’t dropped anything at the desk and was maybe using the card she was given the days prior at the sample sale. She was probably going to use it to try and get my bag on her way out. So they put my bag under the table to make sure they pay extra attention when the #13 tag holder presents themselves.
I am so glad, a million thanks to the staff who were paying attention and weren’t just transactional behind the desk.
I was holding my Celine Seau Sangle bag, which may seem not that exciting, but I recently started using it and it is very precious to me as it is my first Celine bag, long live Phoebe. It would have been terrible if I lost my bag and less importantly belongings:)
I plan on going to sample sales with a tote bag in the future. I learned my lesson.
Apologies for the blurry photo.
OVERALL
All in all, it was a fine. I ended up getting a couple of pieces that I really like at a steal price. I would have liked to have less drama at the beginning and anxiety at the end. For a moment until my bag appeared, I thought it was gone.
I might show up on day 2, though next year.
IF YOU REALLY CAN’T GO…
I am adding this section as I have been following The Row Sample Sale 2024 this year quite closely, I have also set up alerts for The Row items on several second-hand sites. Following the sample sale, I have seen a surge in The Row items online. These could have been items that were purchased with the intention to keep but then decided otherwise, or the person shopped with the intention to sell online and make a profit margin due to the steep discount offered. Regardless, I am sharing this just to let you know that there will be a lot of things you can purchase online without having to wait in line for hours. You may not find exactly what you are looking for but that’s the name of the game at sample sales. I just haven’t seen coats at all – but who wants to get rid of their The Row coat?
This blog post is all about The Row Sample Sale 2024. If you didn’t go or just want to hear someone else’s experience, this is it!
As always, thank you for stopping by and reading. Click here if you’d like to see & follow my Instagram page @girlontheues.
See you next week,
Girl on the Upper East Side
Xx
If this interests you, you might enjoy reading my blog post on The Row, My Margaux 15 bag review and the current state of fashion houses.
Leave a Reply