Shopify merchants around the globe work around the clock to fulfill orders, enhance their stores, and make customers happy.

However,  even merchants need a vacation from time to time. It’s hard work running an online business. Or maybe something unexpected came up that you need to attend to, or you just need a little pause to catch up fulfilling orders before taking any new ones.

I have been looking into other online platforms and what they offer merchants to pause their online sales or disable buy buttons in order to have that much needed break. Etsy has a Vacation Mode option and eBay has Time Away.

As a member of the Magical Apps team that developed the Magical Vacation Mode app for Shopify, I felt compelled to also take a look at what they provide merchants in order to ensure what our app offers is valuable and aligned with merchant expectations. You’ll be surprised with what I found.

I am going to walk you through all of the research I have compiled so you can better understand and gain insights on how using Shopify Vacation Mode can help your business. 

Whether you are planning a big trip, revamping your online store, or just need a tool to help strike a better work life balance, this guide will help you with the basics of Shopify Vacation Mode. 

Table of Contents
  1. What is Shopify Vacation Mode?
  2. How to put vacation mode on your Shopify store
  3. Why you should use vacation mode on your online store
  4. How to set up Shopify vacation mode with the Magical Vacation Mode app
  5. Magical Vacation Mode FAQs
  6. How Shopify vacation mode compares to other ecommerce platforms 

What is Shopify Vacation Mode?

Shopify Vacation Mode is a feature that allows online store owners to temporarily pause or adjust the operation of their e-commerce businesses when they need a break or time away. 

While in Vacation Mode, merchants can communicate to customers that they are not taking any new orders, and that there might be delays in order fulfillment. Merchants can also use this feature to manage inventory effectively, and even use the idle time to plan and execute strategic marketing initiatives.

In our beginners guide to Shopify Vacation Mode, you can learn about the best ways to pause your online sales and the top reasons why you would want to do this in the first place.

Types of Vacations for Online Stores

There are different types of “vacations”  merchants can take

  1. Holiday Breaks
  2. Weekend Retreats 
  3. Seasonal Closures
  4. Unexpected Life Events

Reasons to use Vacation Mode for Online Stores

  1. Prevent Burnout
  2. Maintain Work-Life Balance 
  3. Prioritize Customer Experience
  4. Enjoy Special Occasions
  5. Refine Your Store
  6. Store Maintenance
  7. Dealing with Sales Surges

How to add Vacation Mode on your Shopify store

You can either use Shopify’s natively built solutions or use a third party app that is dedicated to solving your specific need to take some time off.

Native Shopify solutions for Vacation Mode

Shopify doesn’t have a true native solution but you can use one of two things:

  1. Password protect your store
  2. Shopify’s Pause and Build plan 

Some merchants combine both solutions so they can have a password protected landing page with a message notification for customers and pay a reduced subscription fee for pausing their store.

Shopify app solutions for Vacation Mode

Shopify apps provide merchants with specialized solutions based on your store’s specific needs. You can use Shopify apps to provide a Vacation Mode for your business in two ways:

  1. Develop your own app
  2. Use apps that support Vacation Mode

Apps that support adding Vacation Mode

Through all of my research, the only true Vacation Mode app on all of the Shopify App store currently is the one our team developed:

  1. Magical Vacation Mode

How using Vacation Mode on your online store can positively impact your business & well-being

If you’ve been running a Shopify store for some time, you know the feeling. The feeling that you’re on a bit of a treadmill with no way to stop without potentially impacting your business negatively.

But burnout, as well as other unexpected events are real things that happen which can impact your ability to continue running your business. The best policy in these types of situations is honesty and transparency. Using Shopify Vacation Mode on your store helps to accomplish this, and more.

Read more about the top 5 benefits of putting your Shopify store on Vacation Mode can positively impact your business & well-being.

Benefits of using Vacation Mode for Online Stores

  1. Ensuring a Seamless Shopping Experience
  2. Avoiding Product Availability Confusion
  3. Supporting Merchant Well-being
  4. Encouraging Strategic Shopping
  5. Building Trust and Loyalty

How to set up Shopify vacation mode with the Magical Vacation Mode app

The Magical Vacation Mode app for Shopify allows you to pause sales for your online store and notify your customers that you are temporarily away.

The installation and setup are as easy as clicking a button. Please use our guide to help you through how to use vacation mode on Shopify with the Magical Vacation Mode app. This article will help you with the following:

  1. App installation instructions
  2. App setup instructions

Vacation Mode Message Templates

We recommend using a short descriptive message on your shop when you activate vacation mode to let your customers know what you plans are, and when they can expect the store to reopen. Please feel free to use these templates on your shop:

Template 1

Thank you for your interest in our [SHOPNAME]! We will be on vacation mode from [DATE] to [DATE]. During this time, we will not be processing any new orders. However, all of our existing orders will be fulfilled as normal. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We will be back in the office on [DATE]. Thank you for your understanding, and happy holidays!

Template 2

I’m taking a much-needed break from Shopify to focus on my mental health. I’m not sure when the shop will be back online but if you sign up for my newsletter I’ll email you as soon as I am back. I’m looking forward to this break and I’ll hopefully return renewed and reenergized.

Magical Vacation Mode FAQs

Take a look at our frequently asked questions about Magical Vacation Mode on Shopify.

  1. Can I disable ordering on specific products or collections?
  2. Can I disable ordering on specific sales channels other than the online store?
  3. Can I still process draft orders with Vacation Mode on?
  4. Can I choose how often the popup message appears on the online store?
  5. Can I re-position the banner message?
  6. Can I customize the visual style of the message?
  7. Can I set up my store to be on vacation for a specified period of time?
  8. What should I do with my existing orders when I put my Shopify store on vacation mode?
  9. Can I still use POS when my store is on vacation mode?

Compare Shopify vacation mode apps with Etsy and eBay Vacation Mode

Given Shopify’s lackluster native options for pausing your online store sales, many merchants turn to the world of apps to find a solution. Currently, there appears to be only one: the Magical Vacation Mode app.

Because there isn’t really a comparable app in the Shopify ecosystem, I decided to explore the nuances of Vacation Mode across three e-commerce giants: eBay, Etsy, and Shopify. I dive deep into the functionalities and quirks of each platform’s feature, comparing their strengths and limitations. 

Read more about how Shopify’s only vacation mode app compares with the vacation mode feature on Etsy and eBay

You’ll get a detailed overview of the Magical Vacation Mode app, how it compares with Etsy and eBay’s versions, and what customers think about them.


Magical Vacation Mode

Use the Magical Vacation Mode App to pause your online sales letting you take a break, go on holiday, or get caught up.


Shopify Vacation Mode Library