Leaving for Europe in less than 3 weeks - HELP!

[Former_Member]

I am leaving for my study abroad trip to Germany on the 28th of this month, and I am a nervous wreck about what to do with my shop. I have heard horror stories about vacation mode, so I know I'm not doing that, but that left me wondering - what do I do?

The problem is that I won't be back until 31 July, so that's two months I will be away and not able to sell anything. I don't want to ruin any progress I've made, but it's not like I have a choice in abandoning my work for a while.

Someone, please help!

[Plektra]

That sounds exciting! Why don't you keep your shop open and operate it from Germany? Put a note in your shop profile or shop announcement etc and let everyone know. I don't see why you can't still operate it....unless there is an Etsy rule I'm not aware of...

[Former_Member]

If you have to abandon your shop and all that goes with it for two months, I would do vacation mode. I know that if I found something I liked and went to purchase it only to find that nothing was going to be mailed for two months, I'd be annoyed. Argyro makes a good suggestion so just ask yourself, "Do I want to deal with running a shop while in Germany for two months?" If you don't mind figuring all that out in addition to travel, then go for it. If you think it's too much, then go on vacation mode. Good luck to you and have a wonderful time!

[Former_Member]

I considered running it from Germany, but I thought I might be too busy since I will be studying and everything. Plus, I shouldn't really be doing anything in English while I'm there. I also wondered how much of a pain it would be to bring all of my supplies and stuff with me, and if I run out of stuff while I'm there, I can't just order more.

I want to do vacation mode since I'll be gone so long, but I've heard from people here in this team that they unfavorite shops in vacation mode or that they know of other people who came back from vacation mode but their shop never recovered.

[Former_Member]

While I personally don't often remember to return to shops i come across when they are in vacation mode, I would never unfavorite a shop because it was on vacation! That sounds immature, or weird, or something. Since you are going to be gone so long, I think vacation mode is the way to go. I would include a note about when you'll be back, in case any return customers come looking for treats. And most of all, enjoy your trip!

[AtHomeWithLolly]

I did vacation mode once and once only...it took me two months to recover from it and I was only a few months into being an Etsy Shop Owner. I now post in my shop announcements and note to buyers that I am away for X amount of time but the shop remains open for their shopping enjoyment.

A week or 10 days is not so difficult to handle, but two months is a different story. I think I would put it in BOLD PRINT in the shop announcement that you regret having to leave the shop for such a long period but you invite customers to look and browse, favorite an item they may like and that you will be happy to ship anything upon your return.

If they walk away..oh well. Who knows, sometimes the things you can't have become very enticing!

[Former_Member]

I would consider operating it from Germany. You don't have to actively renew the items or upload new ones since you will be busy, but if you get a sale, you could send the item from Germany.

[ThePlaidPineconeCo]

It simply doesn't seem logical to run your shop from Germany when you said that you wouldn't be able to reorder supplies, and also that you shouldn't be doing anything in English... it really seems like if you don't put your shop in vacation mode, you're sacrificing a big part of this trip and may be bogged down with orders and stress about finding supplies.

It really doesn't seem to make sense to keep your shop open.

[wildwomanbeads]

I'm about to do the same thing, Kelly, only I'm not going to Germany.

Here's what I've done. I packed everything I needed for about 10-12 new projects. I put all the materials for each in a small bag, and all the bags in a larger box that can travel with me. Now, if I have time (and I think I will), my projects are already organized and ready to go. If I have to buy a few supplies while I'm away from home, I can easily do that.

I've made a lot of new items ahead of time. I'm doing a big photo shoot this weekend of 30 new items, and will have those to add every other day when I'm gone...so it looks like I'm still open and active.

Finally, what I'm planning to do is NOT go on vacation mode but to post an announcement that I'm traveling and won't have my usual reliable computer access so please allow an extra day or two for me to respond to orders. Or something in the vein.

I'm leaving Tuesday so most of this is now done, but you have time to plan your projects, assemble your materials and photograph ahead of time. It looks to me like you can pull this off without a hitch. Just be sure to leave a note that you'll respond to people as quickly as you can, depending on your access to a computer.

And, yes, I'm probably going to buy a laptop for trips like these. Think about that too!

Oh! And, most important, have a great trip and lots of fun!

[wildwomanbeads]

One more thing. I'm taking most things I currently have posted with me so if orders come in, I can fill them. And some of this, I'm shipping ahead 'cause I have a little car!

[Former_Member]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I think I might take a few of my more popular items with me overseas all wrapped in boxes packed up and ready to go. It really isn't possible for me to be in full or partial operation while away because shipping costs so much over there, and I will be busy traveling and studying the whole time.

I think my best plan of action would be to make it well known in my shop announcement that I will be gone from X til X and that they are free to shop, browse, treasure, and favorite my items while I'm away and that any purchases made will be created and shipped within a few days of my returning home. I just fear vacation mode so much because I'm still a young shop and don't want to lose any progress I've made so far.

[Former_Member]

I will be on my way to Germany in 10 days, allthough I will be there for about 8 months.

[PosyPop]

If I were going away for that long, I would bring my finished items with me and ship them from there if they sell. Thats the nice thing about jewelry...its so portable. I'd put it in my shop announcement the I am shipping from Germany and it may take a little extra time, and deactivate other listings of items that aren't made yet.

I will never put my shop in vacation mode again after I did last year and it took forever to come back to life.

[extradigital]

I put travel notices at the forefront of both my shops' announcements, and it seemed to work okay when I was in Barcelona last week (of course I was only gone for 6 days).

The suggestions of bringing some of your products with you while you are overseas is probably a good compromise, but of course make sure to adjust shipping costs! You don't want to be paying crazy shipping if your US customers are buying from you when you're in Germany!


Germany seems like a popular destination this summer :P I'll be heading there at the beginning of next month!

[Former_Member]

Going to Germany is part of my degree since I'll be a German teacher, so I'm really excited to be going back. :) I've been twice before, but those times I didn't have a shop to worry about.

Thank you again everyone for your help. I'll be working the next couple weeks trying to figure out what to do. I want to bring some things with me, but it all just seems so difficult to try and manage when I may not even have a reliable internet connection since I'm staying with a host family.

[kidsstore]

If you do decide to take some items with you and have a sale while you are gone, you could give the customer the option of having it shipped immediately at a higher postage rate, or waiting till you get home and saving on the postage. Also, if you get any sales or messages, be sure to convo the person back and let them know you are in Germany for 2 months in case they didn't read your note on your front page.

[Former_Member]

Janie, thank you! I will remember to do that as well. :) I will change all of my shop titles and include the info at the beginning of the descriptions the day before I leave so that they have a better chance of seeing it.