Shopping on Etsy? Warning, Buyer Beware!

Hi Everyone,

As anyone who’s read my blog for more than a few months must realize, I adore Etsy. However, I just had an experience I need to share to hopefully save all of us from making an expensive mistake.

If you haven’t read part please continue so you don’t miss any of the juicy story.

If you’ve already the post, please click the link below to jump to part 2

 

Part 2 Begins Here

 

Hold on a second, Laurel!

 

Ummm, don’t you sell a guide sharing the Best of Etsy, and there are well over 200 Etsy Shops on the paid version? And, now, you’re saying, “Buyer, beware!”

 

Great questions. So, please allow me to explain.

I believe most shops on Etsy are running a clean, ethical business. However, because it’s the Internet, I also believe some shops on Etsy are not on the up and up.  Yes, and now that I’ve learned a few things, I will carefully evaluate each source on my Etsy Guide for the next update in November.

Still, it is always up to you, the consumer, to vet any source you’re dealing with on the Internet.

 

So, Laurel, tell us what happened!

 

I will do that in a sec and also tell you some things to look for that can help prevent you from getting burned.

I need to reiterate that I believe most Etsy shops are reliable and run an ethical business. If Etsy discovers you’re not, the business could get the boot.

 

Well, can’t I just read the reviews to understand whether the business is legit?

 

I need to take a deep breath before asking if one can trust the reviews.

The answer is yes, and no. However, like many things on the Internet, there’s good and bad, meaning ethical, trustworthy people and businesses vs. slime.

Slime are liars and misrepresenters who think we’re a bunch of clueless idiots. They will go to great lengths to make us believe they are selling what we want.

So, tell us already, Laurel, what happened?

 

I am working on procuring items I need for the renovation.

One of those is a kitchen faucet.

Okay, for the last 15 years, I’ve wanted one of these.

 

Rohl U.4718X-PN-2 Perrin and Rowe Deck Mount Bridge Kitchen Faucet with Sidespray with High C Spout and Cross Handles, Polished Nickel

 

dream kitchen nickehood white cabinets

 

A Perrin & Rowe polished nickel bridge faucet.

 

But, then, I thought I wanted natural brass that would get a patina. The problem is, I love both.

 

That is actually another topic, so for now, let’s focus on the polished nickel bridge faucet of my dreams.

 

And, I mean bright, warm, POLISHED nickel; not brushed, matte, or anything dull. Those unpolished nickel finishes are darker and don’t have the look I love. It’s fine if you do because I know most people seem to prefer brushed nickel. Yes, I know about smudges.

 

Nothing will give me more pleasure than… um… (laurel-filter activated)

Never mind. Some of you will get ideas you shouldn’t be having. lol

 

So, what’s the problem, Laurel? Just get the damned Perrin & Rowe polished nickel faucet.

 

Well, with the sprayer, before any shipping charges and tax, it’s at least $2,000.00 and sometimes more.

I have so much to get and don’t want to get caught short.

 

Perrin & Rowe Ionian Tap polished nickel

Now, DeVOL has a similar version that’s a little less money but still quite expensive.

But get this. I saved the image from the DeVOL website, and this is how it was named.

Perrin & Rowe Ionian Tap Chrome 02.jpg

Yes, that’s the chrome version, but ironically, it looks like nickel. However, chrome is a cool silver tone, and I definitely do not want that. However, I it appears that P & R is making the faucets for DeVOL!

 

So, I’ve been looking on Etsy.

 

There’s a plethora of shops that make mostly brass bridge and other taps. Sorry, bridge faucets. ;] Some do carry a couple of polished nickel taps. One of those sources, Insid East, is in my Etsy Guide. Last fall, they seemed to be the predominant company selling Bridge faucets and other brass products.

 

However, there are dozens of these Moroccan brass companies on Etsy.

 

And, their products all look pretty much the same. So, maybe they’re all using the same factory.

 

But then, I saw it. I saw the exact faucet I love, only in brass, and on Etsy, for about a third of the price! I actually prefer the DeVOL Perrin & Rowe Bridge because the detailing is very lovely.

But wait, that image looks just like the one I saw on DeVOL.

To verify, I put the image into a google images search.

 

Uh oh… Busted!

Yes, that is right. Faucet-dude is using DeVOL’s imagery and slapping his company’s name on it, then trying to sell a product that is not even a good knock-off. However, using DeVOL’s image to sell his own competing product is totally not cool.

 

But, as I scrolled down the listing, I noticed that the faucet had changed!

 

It no longer looked like the DeVOL. So, this is the real faucet I would be getting. It was starting to look like the rest of the Moroccan bridge faucets, except without the funky cross handles, we’ll see in a sec.

 

Funky Brass? faucet on Etsy

And, then, I looked very closely at this piece. Please notice the part that wraps around the bottom of the handles connecting to the bridge.

Here, I’ll blow them up for you.

 

Holy wow! They look like they’re peeling off!

Please remember that this is what the faucet is supposed to look like.

 

Faucet-Dude’s is a bridge faucet, but it is like comparing Velveeta to a great-aged English Cheddar Cheese.

 

For you young’uns, Velveeta was an American product in the 1960s that looked and tasted like congealed, orange plastic that had been laying in a cow barn for a year, but was marketed as “cheese.”

Still, I had to see this through.

So, I contacted Faucet-Dude, and within 30 minutes, I was hit with a barrage of short emails. He sent me a different faucet that looked nickel-like and asked me if this was the finish.

 

Come again? He makes faucets, and he doesn’t know what polished nickel is?

 

The answer I was looking to hear was, “Yes, we can make that in polished nickel.” Would you also like the side spray and coordinating drain? If so, I’ll be happy to work up a quote for you.”

By this time, I definitely knew this was not going to work out.

However, here is where they lead folks down the garden path…

 

His reviews on Etsy are superb.

 

Well, remember what I said? I did some research and found several folks who state with proof that not all reviews on Etsy are real reviews.

Yes, they are fake reviews.

 

 

So, here’s what to look for when reading reviews on Etsy so you don’t get burned.

 

  • Look to see how evenly spaced the reviews are. If they seem to come every week or two like clockwork, they are probably fake reviews, and fake purchases, too.
  • If the guy sells mostly $500 faucets, but every third order is something super small like a gasket, part of a drain, showerhead, or a soap dish, and that is all, then, Fake, Fake, Fake! Those are freebies in exchange for a positive review.

 

I didn’t hear back from Faucet-Dude until 24 hours later. That’s fine. But, he sent me a silver faucet that he said is:

 

“exactly what you are looking for.”

 

 

Ummm, sorry, no. It ain’t exactly what I’m looking for.

 

And again, it’s not his pic. This one belongs to Insid East. That is… unless they are the SAME vendor!

Please observe we’re back to the Moroccan version of the cross handle that looks about eight months pregnant.

 

To be continued Thursday evening…

*********************************************************

Part 2 Begins Here

It’s Thursday evening. :]

 

I hope you’re enjoying the new link near the top of the page that I’ll be adding to all two-part posts. It took me a while to get it to work, plus, I was in Back Bay two times today, so this is mostly going to be photos of the renovation, I took the other day.

 

Thank you so much for all of the fantastic comments.

 

Perrin & Rowe Ionian Tap polished nickel

I have decided to go with the DeVOL polished nickel faucet. In fact, I just ordered it, in case a bunch of you decide to get one, and I’ll have to wait until next July to get mine.

They don’t have an option to have lever handles, but I have to admit, I’ve always loved the beautiful cross handles.

 

DeVOL’s handles are actually, little paddles, so that might make a difference, when turning.

 

Even if it doesn’t, I’m thrilled with it, and realize that this is not an area to skimp. There are other ways I’ve been able to save money.

As for Etsy. I think we can see from the comments that there are fantastic sources and some that aren’t so great. Like I said, I’ve ordered from numerous vendors and except for the printed hand-knotted Turkish runner, have been delighted with my orders.

 

Many Etsy vendors add personal touches, which are lovely.

 

Still, I am going to be going through my sources very carefully for the Etsy Guide, and if there’s any hint of fakery, they are off the list. Or, at least, I’ll put a note to proceed with caution.

One of those areas of concern are the Chinoiserie panels. I’m not too impressed with many of the sources. A couple of them seem okay. But, at least, you can get a sample before proceeding. Or, just get a sure thing at The Mural Source!

I think the vendors that are selling old things are usually a safe bet.

However, if anyone ever has a problem with a vendor on my list, please let me know.

 

Okay, now, on to the photos and some problems that have come up.

 

I saw my contractor today who I’m so pleased with. He’s light.

What does that mean?

Light means easy to be around.

Okay, please enjoy the part of the renovation where it gets much worse before it gets to be a lot better. I’ll bring in gently by showing the parts that look more familiar.

living room:den windows
Living room with appliances waiting to be donated.

living room under construction
The opposite view. The long form has been submitted to get approval for the heavy-duty structural; the staircase and entry door, downstairs.

 

The familiar view of entry on the left and gutted kitchen on the right. Here, you can see the dividing wall has been removed. About 2/3 will be returning, but much wider.

 

entry parlor level closet

The entry

 

Okay, let’s go downstairs…

 

spiral stairs, bathroom, bedroom July 31, 2023

Sweet, ain’t it?

Straight ahead is the bathroom. In front of that was the huuuuuuge closet. It’s still going to be large, but about 30″ will be devoted to the new toilet location.

 

The electrical panel is getting moved 90 degrees on the new entry hall wall. Where you see the horizontal strip of blue tape is where the new egress door is going. If you look above, you’ll see some exploratory surgery the structural engineer recommended to assess the direction of the joists.

 

Never assume anything.

 

More exploratory surgery to ascertain the depth of the sub-basement. It’s about five feet. So, there’s ample room for the new pipes to go.

 

spiral new hole
While they aren’t allowed to do any structural work on the new staircase, they did remove the sheetrock. It’s a good thing as it revealed a problem.

 

copper pipe

There’s a freakin copper pipe about 28″ away from the wall and thus about 2/3 of the way into the new stairwell!

However, the solution is simple.

The pipe has to be moved over.


And, in the bathroom, there’s another copper pipe. At that point, the ceiling was supposed to go to its full 9′-1″ height. Of course, that’s not happening. We will lower the ceiling to about 8′-9″, which will be totally fine. The lowest ceilings are 8′-3″. Those will be over the vanity, shower and toilet.

A shot of the garden with a lot of the old structures hanging out. All of this was taken away today.

While we’ve had a lot of rain, it hasn’t rained in a few days now. The guys have been terrific about keeping the plants watered.

 

In other news, the kitchen cabinets are all paid for and are IN PRODUCTION as I’m writing this!

 

They will be delivered in about four weeks!!!

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my gutted duplex in Boston!

xo,

Please check out the newly updated HOT SALES!

And, you’ll also see all of the great items Melissa and I found at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale!

***The sale is ending on August 6th.

There is now an Amazon link on my home page, as well as below. Thank you for the suggestion!

Please note that this website is a free service. However, it’s very expensive to run. To provide this content, I rely on you, the kind readers of my blog, to use my affiliate links whenever possible for items you need and want. There is no extra charge to you. The vendor you’re purchasing from pays me a small commission.

Amazon ad

To facilitate this, some readers have asked me to put

A link to Amazon.com on my home page.

Please click the link before items go into your shopping cart. Some people save their purchases in their “save for later folder.” Then, if you remember, please come back and click my Amazon link, and then you’re free to place your orders. While most vendor links have a cookie that lasts a while, Amazon’s cookies only last up to 24 hours.

Thank you so much!

Your support of my work and website means the world to me!

74 Responses

  1. We’ll I don’t think you can make an honest review without making a purchase. I’m an interior designer and also love Perrin and Rowe but not the price. I also love the devol faucets and they are quite affordable. I order a lot of their lighting fixtures for projects. Exceptional quality. I ended up ordering from InsideEast on Etsy after getting some reviews from third parties and I am so pleased. The unlaquered brass faucet I ordered has patinad beautifully. They even custom made a water dispenser faucet for me. They are exceptional and the price is outstanding. They do not feel flimsy at all and in fact I just ordered the polished nickel version for a project I am working on. You could not be more wrong. This is quality at great price points.

    1. Hi Teresa,

      Yes, I did mention Insid East in the post and linked to them as one of the better sources, from the looks of things. However, my issue was not with them. It was another vendor whose name I did not mention. They were using Insid East’s and DeVOL’s imagery, plus the guy was slippery AF. I based what I said on my actual interaction with him, plus the quality of some of the pieces on close inspection is clearly inferior.

      Again, it is not Insid East I was talking about. Please read the post more carefully before berating me for something I didn’t say.

      I’m very happy to hear that the quality of Insid East meets your expectations. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you to have any pieces you’re using for drinking or cooking to be tested for lead and anything else that might be injurious to your health.

  2. I adore your blog – thank you for all the great content! I’ve never commented here before, but I just saw on ig that Erika Powell of Urban Grace Interiors has a very similarly faucet for sale in her stories. I thought of you and wanted to make sure you saw it! Best of luck with your renovation – it’s going to be gorgeous!

  3. A5AEC4B6-B06E-4E8E-9129-0A47ECE3D060-1024×1284.jpg

    Just in case you missed a staircase in your search. from:@JuliaBerolzheimer.

  4. Laurel, I have been reading your posts about your remodel and purchasing on Etsy. This is my morning read, (which is much more satisfying than reading the news). I wanted to mention that Kingston Brass has about seventeen pages of bridge faucets to peruse. I bought from them several years ago because I love the timeless look of a bridge faucet. I am on my thirteenth year with my choice and it still makes me smile when I enter the kitchen. Good luck on all of your endeavors and thank you ever so much for such a lovely website!

  5. Ooo, your new DeVol faucet is beautiful! Did you really say you won’t get it until next July?! Wow! What will you do in the meantime? Thanks for sharing your work-in-progress pics and your renovation updates. Here’s hoping there won’t be too many more “surprises,” especially ones that may be costly. Oh, and thank you for the link to take us to Part 2 – so helpful!

  6. Your home is going to be stunning when all the remodeling is done, I can’t wait to see it. I’m glad I bought a P&R polished nickel bridge faucet when we remodeled our kitchen 12 years ago, I couldn’t afford one today. Thanks for warning about Etsy. I had no idea you could buy fake reviews. I’ll sure be more careful in the future.

  7. Soooo exciting to see the “innards!” That means real progress is happening. 🙂 Maybe you could do a survey type thing where we give you feedback from our favorable/unfavorable source experiences on Etsy – whether from your source guide or things we’ve found.

  8. Hi Laurel
    Looks like very good progress and ur still seeming to be upbeat. I’m proud of u
    When u talked about copper pipes, just an fyi if ur home is all copper pipes and old, it pits when it hits the 40 year mark. I know when they move the copper pipes they will put in new, however, if it is connecting to old copper, there is a high possibility the old copper throughout your home needs replacing. Gosh, I hate saying this but I experienced this after a remodel and had to do a redo. Your plumber is your best adviser if he is honest and not looking to take u to the cleaners.

  9. Hi Laurel, I had a bit of PTSD reading this post as I’ve been through the same process with the same faucet. Our last house was custom built in 2012 and there I had a polished nickel bridge faucet (Delta, I believe) which I loved. But in 2020 we decided to move (not because of the house, which was so beautifully designed). We ended up purchasing a pre-existing home that was built in the 90s (dated-ugh). Since we were renovating the kitchen, I figured I was going to finally make the leap and buy the deVOL unlacquered brass bridge faucet with the cross handles that I’ve coveted for years. It was gorgeous. However, there were leaking problems from the beginning. We went back and forth with them NUMEROUS times, once replacing the entire faucet altogether. Our contact person was wonderful (I even got into the habit of reading his emails to my husband in a English accent), but we almost just gave up and sent it back. My husband finally got it fixed and we’ve only had the problem recur once since then (sprayer leaked into cabinet below and diverter had to be replaced yet again).

    I don’t know why this faucet didn’t work, it is a P&R faucet which is supposed to have a great reputation. Maybe just a fluke, but deVOL does have great customer support, they even sent parts for the later issue (but shouldn’t they? $$$$).

    Regarding unlacquered brass vs polished nickel, it was a good call to go with the PN. I love the brass, however, two years later mine has alot of blotchy spots on it which I hear is from hard water (we have a water softener built in). To get rid of them, I must polish the brass which negates the whole reason for getting it in the 1st place. Bit of a conundrum.

    Thanks for your blog, I am cheering you on through all of this!

  10. It’s looking good! Glad to see they checked below and lots of space under those floors! But still keeping my fingers crossed until the new toilet is in. As for Etsy, never again! I was ripped off and they couldn’t care less!!! “ Yes, I think you’re right, you’re not getting your merchandise, Oops! Just contact your credit card company, it will be fine! “ What I found amazing was the person I spoke to saw something on their end and with in a matter of a minute knew I was not getting what I ordered. 😳

  11. Hi Laurel, first time, long time reader here- love your blog! On a totally unrelated note, I really dig the light thrown by incandescent bulbs and short of stockpiling them, can you suggest how to get that same warm light from LEDs? I woke up this morning realizing I can no longer buy incandescent bulbs and lighting is SO important – those white LEDs make even a beautifully designed room look like a warehouse! Thanks for any tips!!

  12. Great post. Sorry to hear about the setbacks but glad they’ll be easily overcome. With a faucet, what’s inside counts! My husband is a plumber and will only install faucets with warranted, replaceable, ceramic cartridges. No matter how great a faucet looks, it’s no good if it leaks or if replacement cartridges are not available. This is especially important with shower valves and bath faucets as a leak could have you tearing out tile. Reputable brands only. If money is tight, go with a simple Moen or Delta. But don’t buy Moen at Home Depot. Moen makes a cheaper line for Home Depot. Our favourite budget faucet is the Delta Trinsic. The bridge faucets are very beautiful, but I’d go batty without a levered mixing valve.

  13. When I see gutted interiors, I always think how brave contractors must be. How daunting to jump in and tear things away knowing you’re responsible to make it look amazing!

  14. Laurel, I know you know you won’t regret your DeVol faucet! I am so happy I replaced my kitchen and butler’s pantry cabinet knobs with DeVol unlacquered brass. I needed 45 knobs and I think I spent $1,800. I felt a bit embarrassed spending so much on just knobs. So I didn’t tell anyone. Not even my husband, even though he believes in buying quality where it matters–I’m just not certain he would agree that knobs matter. We both cook. We touch these knobs many times each day.They look and feel warm, they’re solid and yet unassuming. I’m glad I did it.

  15. 1. Last year I came *this* close to buying a chandelier I saw on Etsy. It was a knockoff of a $5000 O’Lampia chandelier that was WAY out of my price range — looked exactly the same and only $500. I found the Etsy store after searching on separate browsers and finding the store mentioned in more than one article about the “best lighting stores on Etsy.” The store was based in India, but didn’t try to pretend otherwise. I needed a slight tweak to the dimensions, messaged the owner, and he replied promptly that he could adjust it to any dimension I wanted. I was soooo tempted, but at the end of the day I passed. I didn’t know about Google matching for pictures, so don’t know if his pics were legit (they were at least different than the pics on the O’Lampia website); but this was so clearly knocked off from an original O’Lampia design that I felt icky about feeding the design piracy industry. I knew the devil is in the details and the quality gap would likely be obvious in person. And I figured a 90% price differential was too good to be true. Today I went looking for the store to see if I could Google match the picture; store is still there, but “my” chandelier isn’t.

    2. FWIW, I’m just finishing up a kitchen reno and have natural brass accents. I REALLLLLLLY wanted an unlacquered brass faucet for the sink. But my online research told me over and over again that unlacquered brass isn’t durable for faucets. When I read a plumber saying that he LOVES it when people buy unlacquered brass faucets from him because he knows they’ll be a repeat customer in 5 years, I moved on. The showroom where I bought my faucet (through my builder, who passed on their trade discount at cost) confirmed that the brass is pretty but not practical for faucets. At the end of the day, since my kitchen is mostly black and white, I went with a matte black faucet and love it!

    3. I’ve read several comments here about how to keep one’s faucet looking clean and nice over time. This has been a real problem for me historically, thanks mostly to a husband and son who are total slobs, and who splash and wave (mostly dirty) water all over the place when using the sink, not even trying to be careful — not just the faucet, but lakes on the countertop, splatters all over the window, crud all around the base of and crevices in the faucet. My solution was to install a foot pedal in the new kitchen, like surgeons have for washing their hands without touching anything else. I love it SOOOOO much! By running the water in off and on steps, I save on usage; not only do I never have to touch the faucet with wet or soapy or dirty hands, I don’t even have to raise my hands above sink level, which reduces water splatter on the countertops, faucet, and window. My husband was skeptical, but after two months we were traveling and staying at an airbnb and he kept stomping on the floor in front of the sink, looking for the pedal. I have never once had to do more to keep faucet looking nice than run a dry microfiber cloth lightly over the faucet in one pass when I’m done at the sink. My builder looked at me like I had three heads when I asked for it, but then fell in love with it and now recommends it to other clients. Costs about $500 — I’ll never go back.

  16. Laurel, an update. The link does work on my phone after all… I just have to wait for the pop-up to sign up for your newsletter to load, then close it. Then I can click on the link.

  17. Thanks for taking the time to figure out the link to Part 2! It worked perfectly on my iPhone. Congrats on the faucet. That’s not something you want to look at and wish you’d spent the extra for quality or finish.

  18. I cannot wait to see the finished product as you have fabulous taste and knowledge. Great fun seeing it to fruition.

  19. Hi Laurel, I want to let you know the link to the second part isn’t working on my phone. Android, new Samsung phone. Also, I’m surprised that you haven’t submitted your plans for approval yet to the city yet you’re already starting the work. You can’t do that in Texas. And what if they don’t approve it?

    1. Hi Robin,

      There’s a building permit for everything except the stairs and door. That goes on another form called a long form. I posted the permit in this post, but maybe you missed it. So, yes, there are two permits for my job; not having one is illegal. We were waiting for the architectural plans before submitting the long form.

      I see you got your link to work. Hooray!

  20. Your shorter, more frequent posts are very enjoyable and I am liking this format very much. Also, the link at the top to Part 2 is working very well for me. Thank you for figuring that out! As always, your content is so helpful.

  21. Such a great post with excellent comments! I’m grateful that you and your followers are willing to share these experiences, so we can all be better informed.

  22. Thanks for the link. I was scrolling through and the Kohler Rise bridge kitchen faucet looks a lot like the one you posted.

  23. I saw an Etsy site that was selling items that violated copyright. Unfortunately, there is no way to report them unless you are the copyright owner. I use Etsy to search for things then try to find them on eBay. I prefer eBay for their responsiveness to buyer queries.

  24. I had a disappointing experience on etsy a while back. I purchased a greek key fabric from an etsy dealer that had lots of lots of good reviews. I didn’t use the fabric right away. When I was ready to make something, I opened the package to find it was actually two pieces despite being advertised as continuous. Of course, now it was outside the complaint window. I contacted the company several times and was told that I would be refunded. It never happened. Now, I am soured on buying on etsy. Your blogs have helped me so much to make my home a pleasant place. Thanks for this article.

  25. I can only agree with a commenter above: if it seems too good to be true, it isn’t true. Electricity and plumbing are two areas where you want stuff that’s installed by someone competent, and manufactured by a company that offers suitable guarantees and service. In France, that means Grohe for taps (not Hansgrohe, much cheaper and not as good), for which you can buy new cartridges and replace them very easily yourself. In hard water areas like ours, replacements are inevitable about every 20 years. The only non Grohe tap in our house is a Franke in the kitchen: it was the only tap in the showroom that conformed to my requirements (mixer tap with separate lever controls for hot and cold water, a pull-out rinse attachment, chrome finish)! Franke is Swiss. I think it’s essential to focus on the technological side first and the aesthetics second. Reversing these priorities will lead you to dubious vendors.
    I’ve only ever bought one thing on Etsy, two lengths of linen fabric to make dresses — a Lithuanian company who offer free samples and whose product quality and shipping service is excellent: SandSnowLinen. No hesitation in posting their name. I was looking at embroidered ribbon trim on an Etsy shop where I found just what I was looking for, but I wanted to know if it was washable, sent a message to the vendor, haven’t had a reply, won’t be buying. Fabric and ribbon vendors often say they’re based in France. They aren’t, they simply have a shipping address in France and the ribbons are made in Turkey and the fabrics are made in India. I would never buy fabric made in India, it may look good for a while, but the dyes fade — even in expensive fabric sold under the Manuel Canovas label. Been there, done that — but at least I guessed it would fade and indeed hoped it would!

  26. I guess I’m less risk averse than most because I’m with Kaitlin when it comes to the safety aspect of faucets, and I prefer my faucets to be certified to North American standards. For me it’s less about touching it every day than my family and I drinking from it and using it for cooking every day. When we were remodeling our kitchen, I found this page at Starcraft Custom Builders to be very helpful, starcraftcustombuilders. com/sources.faucets.Best.Value.htm

  27. Wow Laurel. What a post with so much education! You are awesome and, so are most of your responsive readers! I also love the “Pay more for what you touch most” opinion.

  28. I recently purchased 2 yds of remnant Schumacher fabric from a well known Etsy dealer, and 1. The fabric didn’t look or feel like my Schumacher sample, 2. The vertical & horizontal repeat was different than stated on Schumacher’s website, 3. The fabric had hole punches at intervals along one side, as if to indicate a manufacturing flaw. After extended back&forth messages including photos the seller accepted a return & refund but it took so much effort. Buyer Beware!

  29. I have a suggestion concerning your two part posts. How about posting part 2 at the TOP of part one?. So when you post part two it would be first and part one would be underneath it. That way anyone who hasn’t read part one would have instant access to it but the majority of your readers who have seen it can quickly see part two.

    1. Hi Denise, The problem would be people coming to the post the first time, possibly months or years down the road, and Google. It would create a lot of confusion doing it that way. It’s like watching the Miss American pageant in reverse. She gets crowned and then comes all the rest.

      Confusing posts get penalized by Google because the experience for a first-time reader is what Google is concerned with. However, I’m working on a solution with my coach. So, please hang on. I aim to please!

  30. i have no information or opinions about faucets, but wanted to say thank you for the helpful advice about spotting fake products and false reviews. It makes me want to only buy at brick and mortar. Which is diminishing by the day, by the way. So all your tips about how scammers work is useful, however distasteful it is to hear about.

    Also, I can’t help wonder about the ethically-ambiguous person in that video!

  31. I purchased the P and R polished nickel bridge faucet about three years ago and it does require some maintenance. I don’t mind at all keeping it dried off after use and it is still gleaming. I can see it from everywhere in my small open plan house so it was a worthy splurge. You will love yours. I agree that the levers are the way to go with the elbow shut off assisting me in keeping the whole thing clean and shiny. I think I may have purchased from one of your links so thanks!

  32. Have you checked Qualitybath.com? I bought some Rohl Perrin & Rowe fixtures for a bathroom reno from them last year. Good discount, no problems.

    In one episode of “For the Love of Kitchens,” Paul and Helen visit the P&R factory to see their DeVol faucets being manufactured.

  33. I also looked at those Moroccan taps, but decided they likely wouldn’t hold up well. I was also worried about safety – I have no idea if the taps contain lead or not, but when I googled it, the CDC does list taps as being a possible source of lead in water. I likely have enough lead in my 1940’s house…I don’t want to introduce more.

  34. Greetings,

    I do not like having to down scroll through a prior post in order to read the continuation/Part II days later. No need to reply to this comment.

    There are many retailers that provide a fairly substantial “discount” off retail prices. There are good reasons for buying from one. The concept of buying expensive brand-name kitchen jewelry on Etsy is,.. well, are you going to buy your built-in fridge and range on Etsy??? Nuf said.

  35. I bought an expensive kitchen faucet at a local retailer 12 years ago. It only lasted a couple years before the finish peeled off and the sprayer stopped working. I replaced it with another high end brand. It also started to peel and eventually fail after a few years. Tired of spending $$$ on kitchen faucets, I relied on a sales rep’s recommendation and bought a reasonably priced one. It’s still going strong after 5 plus years. Unfortunately, high end or expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it’s build to last.

    I have never had a bad experience purchasing items on Etsy, but so far I have only purchased art and a few inexpensive pieces of jewelry.

  36. Regarding Amber’s comment of spending on things that you ‘touch every day”…is a similar mindset to “cost per wear” when purchasing clothing. Common sense dictates to SPEND on classic wardrobe pieces that will be in regular rotation – shoes/bag/coat and look for bargains in items that don’t tend to last as long – white tee shirt/costume jewelry/ latest trend. I’ve learned SO MUCH from this post – as usual, Laurel, you’re the best!!

  37. Hello Laurel, When buying something expensive, it is usually best to go for the name brands, especially for things with mechanical parts. Two faucets might look identical, but the good one’s handles will function smoothly and solidly, and the flow will be even and then shut off immediately. Of course, you know all this, but just try it with a cheap faucet! I miss the old days when faucets had packing and washers, both of which were easily repairable. Today faucets have “cartridges” which often have proprietary or non-interchangeable parts, that might make future repairs impossible. I would look carefully into what goes into the engineering of the faucet, not just the visual design.
    .
    Also, be careful of the quality of the plating, which is an exacting process. When I was on vacation, my landlord managed to replace my kitchen faucet with the unbelievable brand (wait for it) named OVOTOILET, which is now emblazoned on the top of my kitchen faucet. (I’ll send photos.) After a while the chrome(?) finish started to pit and spot in several areas, so if I had paid $$$$ for it from who-knows-what country, with no possible redress, I would not be too happy. –Jim

  38. Thanks to Kristi for the black market faucets page–very interesting!

    I’ve ordered from Build.com and FaucetsDirect.com and so far so good, but my budget is very modest. The Perrin and Rowe faucet on Faucets Direct in polished nickel is $1,920. A similar Georgian era one without the sprayer is $1,215. Unfortunately you also have to buy the risers, which are $489 (!) in polished nickel and it is a 8-10 special order.

    Perhaps the Whitehaus Twisthaus Bridge Plus faucet is an option for about $800? I looked up the company website at whitehauscollection . com . More old-fashioned looking, but elegantly thin.
    whitehaus-whttscr3-9773-nt-twisthaus-plus-1-5-gpm-widespread-bridge-kitchen-faucet-includes-side-spray/p3850467

  39. There’s an app or extension for Chrome that is supposed to ferret out fake reviews. I tried it but it was annoying and I’m not in the market right now for anything big.

    I bought some very nice sconces on Etsy. The electrician was complimentary about them. But plumbing, seems much more complicated. All the little gizmos and cartridges particular to a certain brand and style.

    My husband made himself a beautiful bar in the basement. His faucet was a little over $1000. It’s gorgeous but dang, 2K! Wow, I hope I don’t fall in love with that.

  40. Thanks Laurel. Another great topic. I’m enjoying all of this information that a person wouldn’t necessarily write about unless you were in the process of a remodel. I’m really enjoying your new blog release schedule.

  41. My Greek friends say, “The most expensive is the cheapest.” I say AMEN to that.
    Also, “first time burned, their mistake, second time burned, my mistake”
    This is not the time to second guess.

  42. Scammers are everywhere! Buyer beware.
    My father used to say “ If it’s too good to be true it probably is.”

  43. Thank you, Laurel, for sharing your experience. Your tips are very helpful.

    BTW, I also like your shorter posts.

  44. Laurel I am on my 2nd nickel kitchen faucet & I’d buy another. Microfiber cloths are a lifesaver:)
    I very much appreciate this post. I am far too trusting….

  45. Followup: I went looking for some reviews on faucet safety, and found a website with ALL kinds of reviews on companies and products for homes. Look for starcraftcustombuilders dot com. In addition to in depth reviews, it’s got a page for black market faucets that might be sold on an Amazon, or Wayfair, or other places. Hope this is helpful – and happy hunting!

  46. It’s no secret Perrin & Rowe are the manufacturers of Devol faucets – they mention it on their instagram 😉 But it’s a line exclusive to Devol.
    If you haven’t reported the shop to Etsy, I would encourage you to do so, as well as informing devol their images are being used. People really are shameless. I almost accidentally purchased a Sarah Sherman Samuel rug knockoff and they were so bold as to even use their images and web copy. What tipped me off was how good the photos were and reading the reviews that it looked just like the lulu&georgia one for 1/3 the price. Based on the user images, I disagree!

    1. Yes, exclusive to DeVOL. I follow deVOL on insta but missed that one. Of course, others make their hardware as their business is cabinetry, I just didn’t realize it was P & R. and I do prefer DeVOL’s version of the Georgian Bridge faucet.

  47. I love your blog, but the 2 part is getting to me. Why do I have to download the entire first part to get to the second? Why can’t there just be a link to the first part on the second. Me and my computer are old, we just can’t download like we used to. Just a thought and thanks for all you do!

    1. Hi Marci,

      I’m sorry, but it is not possible to link to another section of a post. I can only link to another URL. I can’t put part II on another page because that will likely hurt my standing with Google, and create confusion for people who read part II without reading the first part, because they can’t be bothered to click on the link to part I.

      I will make the beginning of Part II as bold and easy to find, as possible.

      When you open up a post, you are not downloading anything. The page is designed to load lightning fast. I feel bad that you’re not having a great experience, and even my powerful 100% up-to-date Macbook Pro will struggle under the weight of too many tabs open, and items sitting on my desktop.

      However, there are things you can do to speed up your computer. What I find helpful is to google my device and ask that question. Hope that helps!

  48. There are even stand-alone companies that seem sketchy. One, Brassna, has a faucet I really love — unlacquered brass WITH a pull-out sprayer. But am I really going to hand over more than $500 to a company that seems to have no ratings or mentions anywhere (other than one blog post that I can find)?

    On a separate note, what do you think of the functionality of that side sprayer of the pricey one you love? I just wonder if it has much pressure. I’ve had those in the past (admittedly just brands you get at the local big box store) and they pale in comparison with the pull-out sprayer. And break.

  49. Thank you for the advice. Absolutely there are fakes on this platform ESPECIALLY with jewelry!!!! I’m in the industry. I found a vendor from the southern states who advertised diamond jewelry which included canary diamonds for exorbitantly low prices. I decided to read the fine print to see what they were really selling. Buried in the ad finally stated that they’re selling diamond alternatives at inflated prices. I determined they are likely selling irradiated czs. Set in sterling silver mounting plated with gold. Maximum retail should have been $150 max. I tried to report it to the above mentioned platform and was told that they would not do anything about it and to file a formal complaint. Since I’m not about to put myself in some kind of jeopardy I let it go. So here’s my opportunity to say buyer beware. Read ALL the fine print.

  50. Thank you! My husband always tells me to verify, verify and verify again.

    I get so hung up because I have found what I want or need that in the past I hadn’t done my due diligence.

    This post is really helpful as we are looking for a brass faucet.

  51. I lusted after a Waterworks faucet for years. At the beginning of our gut reno my husband walked into their Chicago showroom and bought one for Christmas/my January birthday. I had no idea how much they were. We’ve only had one issue with it in 5 years but when that happened we called their customer service and they shipped out the part for free immediately. The cost of the faucet meant the knobs and handles budget plummeted but it was a worthwhile trade off. As others have said here, there is a tipping point where you need to pay for quality.

    Thank you for really digging in deep with the pictures and that vendor. It’s a good reminder. And always check the measurements!!! Often if I find a really good deal it’s because the item is much smaller that it should be. Or rarely, much larger. I got two brand new Visual Comfort Hicks Pendants off of Craigslist dirt cheap because someone ordered the Extra Large to hang over their kitchen island from their 8 foot ceilings!

  52. I have a deVOL kitchen, but actually have the original P&R faucet. I prefer lever handles when I’m cooking — it’s easier to turn them on with a forearm if your hands are grubby. In any case, I think it’s 100% worth it. I’m inclined to agree with the ladies at Remodelista who suggest spending your budget on things you touch every day. A faucet is one of those things, and it can be pretty disastrous when they malfunction.

  53. Ironically, I’ve been looking this week at a “Nickel Finish” bar faucet from InsideEast for my kitchen reno. Faucet- dude there has barraged me with questions, even after I said I wasn’t ready to order yet. Normally quick responsiveness is a good sign – but in this case it seemed suspect. As did the finish description. I mean, is it actually nickel? Also, I have read that faucets not manufactured to US standards might contain/leach out a lot of lead, so I had already decided I would not go with an Etsy source for the kitchen sink faucet. This might be an instance of “get what you pay for.”

    1. Hi Kristi,

      I know. The “hard sell” is always a turn-off, and it feels like they’ve caught you in their trap and now they’re going in for the kill.

      BUT, LEAD. omg! I hadn’t thought of that. Oh my goodness! If true, they should be banned from selling!

  54. 1) My sister was banned for life from Etsy because she bought some Lilly Pulitzer fabric that turned out to be fake (she had no idea) and she was making childrens’ clothes out of it and selling them on her site. So it galls me that she was banned – and I mean totally banned – but these scammers are still going strong.
    2) It’s Velveeta. The double ee makes the long e sound.

    1. Hi Elizabeth,

      How absolutely awful for your sister. And, how on earth did they know her fabric was fake? She could sell the clothes from her own website, especially if she’s already amassed a following. It’s more work, yes, but she would own her site, property and rights. She needs a wordpress.org site, not SquareSpace or Wix or any of those other content management systems. Then, she can sell through Shopify.

      Maybe she has considered this already.

  55. Dear goddess it’s Everywhere. You know, you try to see the good in everyone and then this happens so much, it’s hard not to be skeptical of everyone instead.
    I have a girlfriend whose brother owns a Very Big supplements company which shall remain anonymous, but they have In House writers for their reviews.
    I’ve made the mistake many times of being blinded by an item and forgetting to critically check reviews… Never again
    Thank you Laurel

    1. I agree with you, Susan, and my inclination is also to be too trusting. I got scammed with a fake Fedex CC fraud scheme. The problem was… Fedex WAS trying to deliver something to me at precisely that time. (the vendor required a siggy which I wasn’t asked if I wanted.)

      However, I know better. But, I should’ve googled the identifying info of the scammers first before I gave them my cc number and 3-digit code to pay the “extra $1.20 for redelivery.” Fortunately, I did do that immediately, and saw that they were cons. I got B of A on the horn quickly and canceled my card.

  56. I agree with Diana. Etsy is not the place to be looking for plumbing items. It’s a place for art and home decor that doesn’t need to function. You will have no one to go to if it doesn’t work properly.

  57. That’s good to know, but I think that when you are looking to purchase something as important as a plumbing fitting (or electrical) you need to get it from a reputable dealer. Anything that needs to work and function and is as frequently used as a faucet is too important to try to get a “deal” on. Personally I’d rather spend the money to get the genuine article and save elsewhere. But that’s just me.

  58. Etsy has gone to crap. Lot of scammers on there these days. Lot of great sellers too, but the bad ones seem to be out numbering them. Its gotten like ebay, there is point where you just decide to pay the price, vs waste valuable time trying to figure out who is authentic and who isn’t.

    1. It’s really a shame. I think one common tip-off is when they don’t use their own images! Another item to beware of are “hand-knotted” Turkish rugs. Okay, they look to be hand-knotted, but the design is printed on the face of the rug. Ask to see the back of the rug, and look closely at close-ups. It’s obvious, then.

  59. Etsy purchases above a certain $ level should be something you really think about. I’ve shipped molding from China, Morocco, Ukraine and chandeliers from France, rugs from Persia and I have had issues with quality when I did not do enough research and simply trusted reviews. You need to truly look at images, compare them to Google search and trust your gut. I’ve been burned enough on Etsy and Live Auctioneers where I actually have gone back to 1st Dibs, Ebay, and Chairish. I found it was extremely hard to find justice on Etsy for purchases gone wrong. Unlike other sites….

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Hi, I’m Laurel, and Laurel Home is the website and blog for Laurel Bern Interiors.
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