How to Put Your Shop in Vacation Mode

How to Put Your Online Shop on Vacation Mode (And Why You Might Need To)

Running an online shop can be a rewarding and busy endeavor—but sometimes, life calls for a break. Whether it's for personal reasons, restocking, or a much-needed vacation, temporarily pausing your store is a smart way to manage expectations while you're unavailable. That’s where vacation mode comes in.

How to Set up "Vacation Mode"

Vacation mode is not a one-and-done setting in Castiron, but there are a few options you can use to set your shop to vacation mode--depending on your goal. It helps you take a break without shutting your shop down permanently.

1. Announcement Banner: Use the announcement banner to let customers know you are on a break. This banner will appear at the top of your shop's home page and will let visitors know your shop is closed for now, you are out of the office, you aren't taking new orders--however you want to word it. Adding the dates you are out or the date you plan to return (if you know) is a good way to set expectations. If you still want to take orders while you are on vacation, a banner is a good way to let people know when you'll be back to fulfill their order. 

• • "The bakery is on Spring Break from 3/14-3/22"
  • "Shop is on a temporary break for the month of May"
  • "The Sweets Shop is closed from July 1-10. We will ship all new orders on July 11."
  • "Taking a much-needed vacation! We will reopen on September 9.

To set the announcement banner, click on the Appearance tab in your shop's admin. At the top is a box to type in the text of your announcement. Then toggle the banner "on" and Save. When your break is over, simply toggle the banner "off" and Save. 

2. Set Specific Dates in Fulfillment. If you still want to take orders while you are out, make sure your fulfillment dates are only for dates after you return (not "flexible"). If you typically have pick ups every Friday, you'll need to make sure to set a new fulfillment series that starts after you are back.

3. Turn off Fulfillments. If you want your customers to be able to look at your products, but not buy anything, make all of your fulfillment options Inactive. This will keep your shop Live but customers will not be able to add products to a cart. We highly recommend pairing this option with an announcement banner so customers know why they cannot make a purchase.  When vacation mode is over, simply make your Fulfillment options Active again. 

4. Make All Pages Inactive. If you want your webpage to be live, but no products to show we recommend making all of your shop's pages inactive. To do this, from the Pages tab in your shop's admin, click on each page, set to Inactive, then Save. 

You can choose to leave your "Home" page active if you want, but there will be no action buttons (like Shop or Request a Quote). 

If you set the Home page to inactive, your URL remains live and all that is shown is a box collecting customer emails addresses for marketing. 

Simple make all pages Active again when you vacation mode is done. 

Your Subscription

Setting your page to inactive or vacation mode, will have no effect on your Castiron subscription (it is not paused or pro-rated).

If you need to pause your business for extended period of time, you can cancel your Castiron subscription (your page will remain active until the end of the subscription period you last paid for).

To cancel, go to Settings>My Subscription. This page will show when the next payment is scheduled for (or the date your page will become inactive if you cancel). Scroll down to the bottom of that page and click Cancel Subscription. 

To resubscribe to your Castiron account, just put in your payment information again and use the same shop email address to sign in. All of your products and pages will be there for you when you return. 

*If you need to do this and have active legacy pricing, please reach out to support to make a plan for your return. 

✨ Why Use Vacation Mode?

Here are some common reasons you might put your shop on vacation mode:

1. You’re Going on Vacation

Whether you're traveling or just unplugging for a few days, vacation mode lets you step away without worrying about new orders piling up.

2. You’re Overwhelmed or Burnt Out

If your workload is unmanageable or you're experiencing burnout, pausing your shop can give you breathing room to recover and regroup.

3. Personal Emergencies or Health Reasons

Life happens. If you’re dealing with a family matter, illness, or other personal emergency, vacation mode can ease stress by managing customer expectations.

4. Rebranding or Making Major Updates

Planning to change your shop name, redesign your branding, or overhaul your product listings? Taking your store offline ensures customers only see your polished, updated version when you return.