I don't think it matters much. Of the 9 curated featured thumbnail images formerly at the top of page one at the link, between 4 and 8 of the items shown were NOT vintage. And more than half of the items shown on page one -- the most relevant to "vintage" on the site -- were actually new products.
Am laughing so hard.
Will update here with links to any Forums threads that may show up about this test/change.
UPDATE JUNE 5: after more than 24 hours passed since the Vintage link was removed from the top of Etsy's pages, a post appeared in the Forums: Etsy what happened to the Vintage section on the main page? So far, most of the responses show that the Etsygirls are okay with this since, like, shoppers never want to simply look through Vintage items generally. Everyone knows that's what happens at bricks-and-mortar shops, co-ops, shows, etc.: shoppers come up to the desk or info booth and ask if anyone has some blah-blah to sell and where it is. And if no one can tell them double quick where that item of choice can be found, the shoppers simply leave. Yeah, right?
One Forums comment notes that there is now no mention of "vintage" on the home page at all. If you type the word "vintage" in the SEARCH box, you'll see a page of items that are a mixture of Vintage and new, including several brand new face masks and brand new prints of (maybe) vintage images. Of course it's so very Etsy that a search for "vintage" would return a page of items mostly listed as "handmade".
If you are serious about selling Vintage and Antiques in a professional setting, it's long past time to leave Etsy.
UPDATE JULY 3: During the last week in June, the Vintage link re-appeared at the top of Etsy pages only to disappear again in the early morning hours of July 1. I think the Vintage seller community on Etsy should be commended (?) for their efforts to keep a link to Vintage on the Etsy Home Page. In other words, they did NOTHING, and now the link is gone.
