Promotional features on the Etsy Home Page do NOT include vintage items.

Etsy is treating Vintage with ignore, again.  

There is an "Explore" feature on my version of Etsy's Home Page that shows a group of items that are Clothing and Jewelry, Kids' Clothes and Toys, Dining and Entertaining, Your Interests, and Home Decor.

Under each heading is a tag cloud.  The tag cloud does NOT include Vintage for any Explore category feature except Home Decor.  

But, when you select the Vintage tag, it shows 6 thumbnails -- all 6 of them are NEW items, not Vintage at all.

When you click the link to "shop all" it gets even worse!  Here are some of the fake vintage items from the first page:

1.  Meet fake vintage reseller MagnoliaCandle59 who has so far sold more than 8000 items.  The shop's name relates to less than a handful of candle items that were their earliest sales.  Now they are straight up reselling contemporary mass made decor stuff, listed in various quantities, pretending to be "vintage".  Page one includes this cast iron Turtle Crossing garden stake sign pretending to be "vintage".  Currently there are 36 units available, priced at $18.99.

It's easy to find for sale on Amazon and eBay of course.  But you can also find it for sale in another Etsy shop.  CastIronHook sells the same item pretending to be "handmade" priced at $18.49 with 93 units available.  

But, wait!  Etsy included more than one item from this fake vintage reseller on page one.  Here's a fake vintage cast iron set of 2 bunny rabbits pretending to be "vintage".  Currently the shop has 16 sets available priced at $19.99.  The description gives all the info on the vintage provenance:

Here's 2 great cast iron rabbits. Made just like the ones of the past. These have the same look of the antiques, but at a much lower price!

  

And another one!  Also on page one is this fake vintage cast iron mermaid pretending to be "vintage".  Fifteen units available priced at $19.99.  The description gives the vintage provenance:

Here's a great wall plaque or sign. Made just like the ones of the past. These have the same look of the antiques, but at a much lower price!

2.  Meet fake vintage reseller PickinandAGrinninCo who has so far sold more than 500 items.  Page one includes their fake vintage Wash Your Wiener sign pretending to be "vintage from before 2000".  But the description discloses the vintage provenance:

Sign is BRAND NEW with a Vintage Retro Farmhouse Look Perfect size for shelf or wall decor arrangements. Bathroom Decor Outhouse Decor

Uh huh.  Two units available.  Priced at $12.99 PLUS SHIPPING.  

 

Easy to find on Amazon where no one is pretending it's old.  

3.  Meet fake vintage reseller FitMine who has already sold 44 imported brass items.  Included on page one is this fake vintage brass kneeling man phallus paper weight pretending to be BOTH "handmade" and "vintage from before 2000".  The description tells the amazing "vintage handmade" story:

this is collectio of mine from2000s
Package include:1 penis

The shop has already sold 5 units of this item, but maybe you need (at least!) six of these for a personal collection.  Priced at $45.  Easy to find on eBay shipping from China (heh) and listed as NEW with 4 units available 

 

4.  Meet fake vintage reseller UncannyPrintsUK who sells newly made prints of vintage images dated as the original.  Included on page one is this fake vintage copy of an image of bats from 1904 pretending to be BOTH "handmade" and "vintage from the 1900s".  The vintage provenance is given in detail in the description:

All of my illustrations have been digitally retouched and restored to the highest quality possible but due to the age of these artworks there may be some small imperfections.

The colours may also vary depending on monitor type and settings.

All items in the store are scanned and printed on professional photographic equipment and paper.

I use high quality matte photographic paper to preserve the details of the images and retain the authenticity of the artworks.

Which makes as clear as can be that this item is NEW.  Three units available, priced at $10.02.

5.  Meet fake vintage reseller VintageHearts01 who has already sold 188 items included "Southern Living at Home" items which are NOT pre-2000 as the shop owner falsely claims.  Less than 1 minute of research turned up an original press release announcing this home party plan, and it dates to 2002.  So all of these products are newer than 2000.  Included on page one is this fake vintage Southern Living at Home Gail Pittman Red Bountiful bowl pretending to be "vintage from before 2000" -- it will be 20 years old in 2029.  Priced at $25 PLUS SHIPPING.

 

6.  Meet fake vintage reseller Antiquephotoarchive who has already sold nearly 39,000 repops of vintage photographs.  The shop's Announcement says they sell "expert print reproductions" -- which means NEW outside the mendacious Etsyverse.  Included on page one is this fake vintage reproduction of a photo of a baby working out (it's cute) pretending to be BOTH "handmade" and "vintage from the 1940s".  The description includes the vintage provenance:

All photo reproductions are digitally processed and printed in high resolution. They are the highest quality professional photo print reproduction available on the market. We offer various print sizes. We also offer larger custom sizes and photo searches upon request.

Available in 6 print sizes priced from $6.85 to $32.85.  This shop has earned Etsy Star Seller Status for selling fauxtiques.

There are some actual vintage items on page one that were not chosen as featured thumbnails because on Etsy you can't promote "vintage" by showing items that are actually 20+ years old.