If you’ve been selling on Etsy for any length of time, you’ve probably felt the anxiety that comes when you need time away from your shop. Whether it’s a much-needed holiday, a family commitment, or simply a break to recharge, the platform’s default advice is clear: switch on Holiday Mode.
But after years of running a busy vintage shop, I’ve learned that this isn’t always the smartest option, and in many cases, it can do more harm than good.
For a lot of people a holiday is a holiday, end of. But most people who run businesses acknowledge it’s a lifestyle choice and in order to protect that choice, it is good to keep that business ticking over, with minimal effort.
Holiday Mode Kills Your Momentum
One of the most important facts Etsy doesn’t emphasize enough is that Holiday Mode effectively removes your listings from search results. Fight your way through sponsored ads for advice and it is generic and wrong. When you switch it on, your products won’t appear in Etsy search or category pages. If someone has saved a direct link, they can still see your items, but you will no longer attract new shoppers organically. You are closed for business and customers are not waiting for you to return.
When you turn Holiday Mode back off, your listings don’t simply reappear in their previous positions. Etsy’s algorithm favours shops and products with recent activity: clicks, favourites, sales conversions, and consistent engagement. If you’re offline and invisible for a few weeks or even a week, your listing history goes cold, you are a de facto business non grata.
Many sellers assume Etsy will pick up where it left off, but in reality, it often takes weeks or even months to regain your old ranking. This is not just anecdotal, Etsy’s own help documents state:
“Your listings won’t appear in search while your shop is on Holiday Mode. When you turn Holiday Mode off, it may take some time for your listings to reappear in search and for traffic to return to normal.”
Sellers in forums and Facebook groups share the same experience:
“My sales were fine before Holiday Mode. When I came back, nothing for weeks.”
“I lost all momentum.”
Customers Are More Patient Than You Think
There’s an assumption that buyers expect next-day delivery like Amazon or eBay, but Etsy customers aren’t necessarily the same kind of shopper. People buying unique jewellery, restored vintage furniture, or one-off artwork are already prepared to wait. They’re used to reading detailed listings, checking processing times, and messaging with questions before they buy.
In our shop, we sell higher-value items, often over £100-£500. Over the years, we’ve learned that most buyers are happy to wait, as long as you’re transparent and communicate proactively.
A Simple Alternative to Holiday Mode
Instead of disappearing from search entirely, we bulk-edit every listing before going away. At the top of each description, in clear language, we add:
We are now away until 18th July. Please go ahead with your purchase but be mindful that we will not be despatching until the week beginning 21st July.
This sets expectations immediately and ensures no one can miss the information. People appreciate this, of course, you can also change dispatch times, but a personal acknowledgment is always welcome, don’t make it chatty in your enhanced holiday mood, nobody cares, it is more off putting than cute,
To further reassure customers, we spend two minutes every other day while we’re away to send a short message:
Just a quick note to confirm you’ve seen our notice about dispatch times. We’re very happy to cancel and refund immediately if this doesn’t suit.
In all the years we’ve done this, almost no one has ever asked to cancel. Not one customer has claimed they didn’t see the notice.
Keep Your Shop Active with New Listings or Renewals
Many sellers don’t realise you can also prepare fresh listings in advance and keep them in drafts. While Etsy doesn’t have an automatic scheduling feature, publishing a draft listing manually takes seconds—even from your phone. I’ve already got ten days of listings cued up and ready to go.
During your holiday, you can drip, feed these new listings every couple of days to show Etsy you’re still active. This simple habit creates a small but important boost in search ranking. You can also renew older listings periodically for the same effect.
It doesn’t have to eat into your break. For most shops, this whole process takes five minutes every other day, or about 15 minutes per week, to keep your shop healthy and visible. You can do it while you’re having your morning coffee or waiting for a taxi.
This little bit of attention means you’ll come back to your shop still ranking well in search, and very often, a bundle of sales waiting for you.
Evidence From Other Sellers
We’re not alone. A 2021 survey by eRank found that nearly 40% of Etsy sellers never use Holiday Mode, instead relying on extended processing times, clear notes, and occasional listing activity. Many of these sellers report no drop in customer satisfaction or reviews and no slow restart when they return.
There are countless stories from experienced shop owners who say the same thing:
“I bulk edit my listings with dispatch info, drip feed renewals, and never lose my search ranking.”
“My customers don’t mind waiting if they know up front.”
“Holiday Mode killed my momentum, I’ll never use it again.”
When Holiday Mode Makes Sense
To be fair, Holiday Mode still has its place. If you truly can’t check messages or process orders for an extended time, switching it on avoids misunderstandings and prevents overselling. But if you can spare 15 minutes a week to keep your listings active and buyers informed, you can maintain your search position without feeling like you’re glued to your screen.
If you’re planning time away, ask yourself if you really need to shut down completely. A clear notice at the top of your listings, extended dispatch times, and a simple habit of releasing a listing every few days can keep your shop visible and help you return to consistent sales.
It’s a small effort that protects all the hard work you put into building your shop—while still giving you the time you deserve to rest.
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The Rights of Fans. 