With temperatures soaring, many eBay sellers will be thinking about taking a much-needed break. But, as many sellers will attest, eBay is a juggernaut that never stops. How can you take a break when there is so much work to do? There is always an email to answer, an order to ship, or a customer service issue to resolve. Any failure to maintain momentum may result in a loss of income and even damage your reputation as a seller. When you operate in a 24/7/365 business landscape, taking a holiday can be challenging. Thankfully, eBay understands that its community of sellers need to schedule time away throughout the year. If you are a seller hoping to hit the pool this summer, it may be time to activate eBay Vacation Mode.

How does eBay Vacation Mode work?

eBay’s Vacation Mode (Time Away feature) is a feature that allows sellers on the online marketplace to temporarily suspend their listing and selling activities while they are away or unable to attend to their online business. By activating Vacation Mode, sellers can inform their customers and potential buyers that they are currently on vacation or taking a break from selling, ensuring transparency and managing customer expectations.

This feature provides sellers with peace of mind, knowing that they can take time off without compromising their eBay presence or disappointing buyers. Additionally, Vacation Mode allows sellers to customise an automated message that informs customers about their temporary absence and provides alternative contact information or the expected return date. Once sellers deactivate Vacation Mode, their listings and selling capabilities will return to normal, seamlessly resuming business as usual.

eBay Vacation Mode Settings

The time away settings allow sellers to decide whether they wish to continue selling items or pause their selling activities for the duration of their break.

Continue Selling

By allowing item sales while you’re away, you can maintain a presence on eBay and accommodate potential buyers while providing them with clear information about your availability and any possible shipping delays.

If you choose to enable item sales while you’re away, there are a few key points to keep in mind:

• Visibility and Purchases: Your listings will remain visible, and buyers will still be able to purchase your items during your absence.
• Notification to Buyers: A message will be displayed prominently at the top of your listings, notifying buyers that you are currently away. This helps set their expectations regarding potential communication or order processing delays.
• Automatic Delivery Date Updates: To streamline the process for you, eBay automatically updates the estimated delivery dates in the Postage and Delivery section of your listings. You won’t need to make any manual changes, ensuring that buyers have accurate information about when they can expect to receive their purchases.

Pause Selling

By pausing item sales, you have the flexibility to temporarily halt transactions while you’re unavailable, ensuring that buyers are aware of your absence and preventing any potential misunderstandings.

When you choose to pause item sales, please keep the following points in mind:

• Hidden Listings: Your fixed-price listings will be temporarily hidden from search results, preventing buyers from purchasing your items while you’re away.
• Buyer Notifications: If a buyer had previously added one of your items to their Watchlist or basket and attempts to buy it during your absence, they will be unable to complete the purchase. Instead, they will see a message informing them that you are not processing orders until the designated end date of your time away.
• Delayed Visibility: It may take a few hours for your fixed price listings to become hidden from search results after activating the pause. To ensure a smooth transition, we recommend setting your time away in advance.
• Listings Reappearance: After your designated time away ends, it may take a couple of hours for your listings to reappear in search results. However, you do not need to manually edit your listings for this to occur. The reappearing process happens automatically.
• Auction-style Listings: When you pause item sales, buyers will still have the ability to view and purchase your items. However, they will be presented with a message at the top of the listing, notifying them that you are currently on vacation or away. In addition, the estimated delivery date will be automatically updated in the Postage and Delivery section of your listings.

More to Consider for your eBay Time Away

Here are some important considerations when scheduling your time away on eBay:

• Immediate Activation: If you choose today’s date as the start of your time away, a message indicating your absence will be displayed at the top of your listings within minutes. However, it may take a few hours for the estimated delivery dates to be updated. If you have chosen to pause item sales, it will also take a few hours for your listings to be hidden from view.
• Scheduled Start and End Dates: If you select a future date for your time away, it will begin at 00:01 on your scheduled start date and end at 23:59 on your scheduled end date. This ensures a clear timeframe for your absence.
• Allow Item Sales: If you opt to allow item sales during your time away, you can schedule a period of up to 15 days for your absence. This allows buyers to continue purchasing your items while you’re away.
• Pause Item Sales: If you choose to pause item sales, you can schedule a time away for up to 30 days. During this period, your listings will be temporarily hidden, and buyers will be unable to make purchases.
• Consider Buffer Days: It is advisable to schedule your time away to start a day before your actual time off begins. This allows you to accommodate any last-minute orders received on your last working day. Similarly, ending your time away a day later than your return date gives you time to process any pending orders upon your return.

• Delivery Dates: Regardless of whether you decide to allow sales to continue or pause them, it’s important to note that the delivery dates will not be updated for the following:
  • Second Chance Offers
  • Auto-accepted offers
  • Pending counter-offers
  • Seller initiated offers accepted during Time Away
  • Items with local pickup, in-store pickup, or Global Shipping Programme as the delivery option
  • Digital Items

How do I put my eBay account on vacation mode?

To schedule your time away, follow these simple steps:

• Access Time Away Settings: Navigate to your Time Away settings on eBay.
• Choose Schedule Time Away: Select the option to schedule time away from your online business.
• Select Selling Status: Decide whether you want to allow item sales to continue or pause item sales during your designated time away. Choose the option that aligns with your preferences and needs.
• Set Start and End Dates: Specify the start and end dates for your time away. If you wish to begin your break immediately, select today’s date as the start date.
• Apply Changes: Once you have made your selections and set the appropriate dates, click on the “Apply” button to save your time away settings.

Create an eBay Out of Office Response

To ensure effective communication with buyers during your time away, you can set up an automatic response through eBay Messages. Follow these steps to configure it:

• Access Time Away Settings: Navigate to your Time Away settings on eBay.
• Choose Automatic Response: Select the option for setting up an automatic response.
• Select Message for Time Away: Opt for the specific option that allows you to create a message for when you are on time away.
• Set Start and End Dates: Specify the start and end dates during which your automatic response will be active. Ensure the message covers the entire duration of your absence.
• Compose Your Message: Type your desired message in the provided Automatic Response box. Craft a clear and informative response, letting buyers know about your absence and when they can expect your return.
• Apply Changes: Once you have composed your message, click on the “Apply” button to save the automatic response settings.

eBay Vacation Tasks

While you are enjoying your summer break, there are some essential jobs Frooition can help you out with. If you would like to return from your vacation to a brand new eBay design, fully optimised to help you maximise sales in the second half of the year, including the busy Q4 holiday season, our design and optimisation experts are waiting for your call. Contact us today to book a free discovery call.