A step-by-step 2026 guide to eBay's Time Away (vacation mode): where to find it, whether to pause or allow sales, what keeps running, and how to return.
Written by
Alize Mendez
Published on
July 11, 2026
Key takeaways
To set your eBay store on vacation mode, go to My eBay, access Account settings, and then choose Time Away settings. In 2020, eBay changed Vacation Settings to Time Away, and it's accessible to all sellers, not just Store subscribers. Decide if you want to keep sales active or pause them, set your start and end dates, and leave a brief auto-reply to inform buyers of your return. If you opt to keep sales running, you can be away for a maximum of 15 days. If you decide to pause sales, you can extend your absence to 30 days. Remember, auctions will continue regardless, so schedule them to end before your departure.
The old vacation links are obsolete. Follow this updated path, suitable for both Store subscribers and occasional sellers.
The two options function quite differently, and picking the wrong one might cost you. Understand this before making a choice.
| Setting | Allow Item Sales | Pause Item Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed price listings | Stay visible and buyable | Hidden from search, checkout blocked |
| Max length | 15 days | 30 days |
| Buyer experience | Sees an updated delivery date | Sees a note that you are away |
| Best for | Short trips where you can still ship on return | Longer breaks with no one to fulfill orders |
If you allow sales, orders will continue to come in, and the handling time clock will keep running. eBay adjusts the estimated delivery date for customers, but you must still ship on time when you return. Only allow sales if you can meet your handling time upon return, or if someone else can handle shipping in your absence. Opt to pause sales for trips longer than a long weekend without assistance.
Enabling Time Away stops orders but not expenses or auctions. Keep these points in mind.
A quick prep ensures your account metrics remain intact while you are away.
Revisit My eBay > Account settings > Time Away settings and either let the end date expire automatically or cancel it for an earlier return. If you paused sales, give your fixed price listings some hours to reappear in search before expecting orders to resume. Then, address any messages and offers that accumulated, as notifications continued to arrive during your absence.
eBay isn't the only platform with a pause feature. Poshmark offers a Vacation Hold in Account Settings that removes your closet from search and stops sales. Depop and Mercari handle breaks differently, often requiring manual pausing or deletion of listings. If you sell on multiple platforms, configure each one before you leave and note where the pause option is, as menu names often differ. For an in-depth look at a popular eBay alternative, check out our guide to selling on Poshmark.
Returning to pending orders is only beneficial if they lead to completed sales. Clothing returns increase when buyers are uncertain about sizes, typically due to unclear listings. Including a detailed size chart in every listing reduces back-and-forth and minimizes "did not fit" returns, saving you time after a break.
Sizely is an online tool that helps sellers create custom size charts from over 300 garment templates and embed them directly into eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, and Amazon listings. Used by over 85,000 sellers, it's designed for both individual sellers and resellers aiming to reduce fit-related returns. You can create and embed a size chart at size.ly.
Yes. Your eBay Store subscription fee and any listing-related fees continue to accrue during Time Away. Pausing sales hides your listings but does not stop billing.
If you permit item sales, the maximum duration is 15 days. If you pause item sales, you can extend your Time Away to 30 days. Be sure to specify both a start and an end date when you enable it.
No. Auction-style listings remain active and can accept bids even when fixed price sales are paused. Be sure to end or schedule your auctions to conclude before your start date to avoid shipping obligations while you are away.
It can take a few hours for paused fixed price listings to disappear from search after starting Time Away, and several hours for them to return when it ends. Plan a buffer at both the start and end.
Yes. Return to My eBay, Account settings, Time Away settings, and either cancel it or adjust the end date for an earlier return. Allow paused listings a few hours to reappear in search following your change.
Not completely. It pauses orders, but service metrics like response times and open cases are still active. Make sure to clear any open cases and set an auto-reply before leaving.
Buyers skip listings when they cannot tell if it fits. Make a size chart image for your listings in about a minute with the free Size Chart maker, and check your margins with the eBay fee calculator. Selling from the UK? The eBay UK fee calculator covers Buyer Protection and business fees.
Run your own store too? Sizely Fit Finder tells shoppers their size right on your product pages.
Written by
Alize brings a deep understanding of the complexities of apparel sizing and has been instrumental in developing innovative measuring techniques that are at the heart of Sizely's technology. With over 5 years of experience as an online seller, her insights into clothing measurements have helped countless e-commerce businesses minimize returns and enhance customer satisfaction.
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