Operating from different location

[7WondersDesign]

Hi, I really need to keep my shop running. My husband needs hip surgery across state and I need to help him.  I can access my files from an external hard drive I'm using and use my laptop. My concern is, I will log on using the hotel's IP. Will this cause a problem with Etsy? I cannot afford to have it shut down. I'm a long term seller.

[StitchRoundabout]

Sorry to hear about your husband.  I hope his surgery goes well and he's not in too much pain in the meantime.

I'm not sure about accessing Etsy, but if you travel over 100 miles from your location, you can have trouble accessing your email account.  Have been wondering how to get around this the next time I travel as I couldn't access my email at all the last time I traveled.  (I don't use the app and didn't take my cell phone with me.)  Therefore, although I cannot help with Etsy, you may have trouble accessing your email account unless someone responding knows how to get around the distance issue.

[7WondersDesign]

Thanks for your kind words! I'm okay accessing email. I just want to make sure I don't break any rules accessing my shop from a different location.

[Martybugs]

Traveling over 100 miles from your location won't cause issues accessing email.  Email is intended to be a global service - and you should be able to access it from anywhere.

Likewise with Etsy - you should be able to login from anywhere.

[StitchRoundabout]

@Martybugs:  I have been using email for decades so am well aware that it should be accessible from overseas.  It has always worked on overseas trips before, but on my last trip to the U.K., the error message that popped up said that my Microsoft email account couldn't be accessed because I was over 100 miles from the country I created my email accounts on.  I have more than one Microsoft email address, so tried them all from two different computers, and none worked.  For my next trip, I will try from my Gmail account, but I've no idea if that will work either since it appears to be a distance issue rather than an email service one.

[PotteryUrns]

1. I haven't traveled much since I've had my shop. I did go from Albuquerque to San Antonio, TX to visit family and stayed in a hotel and worked my shop from there with no problems. I had no problems accessing my shop messages, etc. nor my regular email. I did have someone at shop that was packing & shipping orders, however she didn't feel comfortable answering messages. I actually took a couple of custom orders while there. The days that I was on the road I used auto reply messages telling when would respond back as don't use a phone app with Etsy. Also do that when I am in town but away from the shop for the day and it seems to work fine as that way customers know when to expect a reply.

[7WondersDesign]

Great suggestions, sounds like you had a great system and plan in place.

[Jewels2at]

I think if you are using your own laptop or computer you will be fine.

[EccentricHandbags]

I have traveled and managed my account from where ever.  I don't think its a problem unless there is something else connected to that IP address that would be a red flag.  I mean if I were at an air b and b or hotel and someone else was logged into Etsy at the same time or the prior week and commiting violations or whatever.  Just like having two Etsy shops within the same house.  If one is bad it takes them both down.  I think the risk is slight, but I'd rather take it the put my shop on vacation.   

[7WondersDesign]

Thanks good feedback, much appreciated.

[FlippinBroadsJewelry]

We have traveled back and forth from Florida to Colorado and have never had an issue with accessing our account or answering messages.

[GieseDeseiGns]

I have done a lot of traveling this past year over 8 weeks from Maine, to Ca and Hawaii, I log in to every place we have stayed, and accessed my account with no problem. The only time you might have an issue is with someone’s ip address that also has an Etsy shop, not usually a hotel or condo.

[NoFrogsAllowed]

I access and work on my shop everywhere I go.  I use my phone as a hotspot.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

IP address doesn't matter unless you try to access from somewhere like Iran.

Many countries have dynamic IP addressing, mine changes weekly, others change all the time too, they are reused by everyone else, I would assume by other etsy shops too, I often have one allocated from Scotland  about 400 miles away

[PieceByNumberQuilts]

I travel quite a bit internationally, and have not had problems. I always use the same iPad and iPhone on my trips, and also a VPN so I don’t have to worry about the security of my connections. So far, so good! 

[FashionClozet]

I've travelled states a couple of months ago. No issue accessing my ETSY shop. 

[7WondersDesign]

I just wanted to reach out to everyone who replied with a BIG Thank you!!! I appreciate your willingness to take the time to offer help and support. Everything worked well, my husband's surgery was a success and I was able to work remotely (using a different IP) without any problems and kept my shopping running smoothly.

I love Etsy's Community

[TinTeddy]

Pleased to hear that!

I hope your husband is recovering well.

[TastefulArtisan]

I too hope your husband is recovering well!

Everyone seemed to answer your question but I wanted to add that I've managed my shop from Mexico, Grand Cayman, Belize and many other countries and when I travel domestically, I use whatever wifi is at the hotel and/or airport and when I am at my sons house in IL (I live in AZ) I connect to his and there has never been an issue. I've also used his laptop to access my dashboard and had no problems.

I've even been able to access my shop dashboard while on a plane using the in-flight wifi.

The only time I could not get into my shop (or anywhere else) was when I was in the middle of the ocean and frankly, that didn't bother me at all. : )

I don't travel as much as I used to but I've never had problems logging in.

I really could use a vacation though!

[DragonflyDreams1 · Accepted solution]

My heart goes out to you and I wish you and your husband strength and healing. My husband is a transplant patient, I have spent the last  8 years traveling with him (diagnosis through transplant and now aftercare). We have been gone for long periods of time, frequent short trips and many unexpected trips. I use hotel wifi, cell data, clinic and hospital wifi...whatever I can grab for wherever I am at. I have never had an issue with Etsy. I do only use 2 devices. (I don't know if it helps to use the same devices - Etsy does track them). On my most recent trip when I went to Etsy using a mobile browser it showed a message (paraphrasing) "authenticating device" or something like that when the first page loaded.

Once again, I hope everything goes smoothly.

[7WondersDesign]

Thanks you kindly for taking the time to respond. Things did work out just fine. My heart truly goes out to you and your husband and am sending prayers for healing for you both.

Warm regards