Quick answer
To close an Etsy shop, open Shop Manager on Etsy.com, go to Settings, then Options, select the Close Shop tab, pick a reason and select Close Shop. The option appears only after you close any unresolved cases or pay any overdue fees first, and your account becomes a buyer-only account with no visible shop. To pause instead, turn on vacation mode: your listings are hidden from search and can’t be purchased, and you can switch it off when you return.
Nation, an AI store builder, publishes this page. It is pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai, so it is not part of any comparison here. See where Nation fits.
How to close your Etsy shop, step by step
Closing a shop keeps your Etsy account. It removes the shop from view, and your account becomes a buyer-only account with no visible shop. You close a shop on Etsy.com, in Shop Manager.
Settle what blocks closing
If the Close Shop option is missing, you need to close any unresolved cases or pay any overdue fees first. Pay any amount due on your bill and resolve any case a buyer opened.
Finish or pause open orders
If orders are still open, put the shop in vacation mode until they are shipped. Buyers keep seeing the shop while new orders stop.
Check your bank details
Money left in your Payment account is deposited according to your deposit schedule, even after you close your shop. If your bank details are out of date, you may not receive your payment.
Download your shop data
Save your listings, orders, settings and reviews from the Download Data tab before you close. The section below lists each file.
Open the Close Shop tab
On Etsy.com, go to Shop Manager, then Settings, then Options, and select the Close Shop tab.
Pick a reason and close
Select a reason from the dropdown menu and select Close Shop. Etsy asks you to answer a short survey before the shop closes.
What to settle before you close or delete an Etsy shop
Etsy will not show the close option while money or disputes are outstanding. The same rule applies to closing the whole account: the Close Account button stays hidden if there is an amount due on your statement or an open case reported in your shop.
Orders are the part that most often catches sellers out. If you close before orders are complete, you can still access your orders and communicate with your customers. You still owe the buyer the item, and Etsy may refund buyers on your behalf for physical orders that aren’t shipped within their processing times.
Etsy vacation mode: how to temporarily close your Etsy shop
Vacation mode pauses new orders without closing anything. When it is on, your listings are hidden from search and can’t be purchased. Direct links to a listing show an “Item unavailable” notice. Your shop may appear when buyers search for your exact shop name.
To put Etsy on vacation mode, open Shop Manager on Etsy.com, go to Settings, then Options, select the Vacation Mode tab and turn it on. In the Etsy Seller app, it sits under More, then Shop Settings. You can add a vacation announcement, which replaces your shop announcement, and an auto-reply for anyone who messages you. Buyers also see the option to receive an email from Etsy when your shop reopens.
Vacation mode does not pause the work. You remain responsible for fulfilling open orders, resolving open cases, responding to buyer messages, and paying recurring subscription charges. If you are leaving for your own site, note Etsy's rule that the announcement and auto-reply should not be used to direct buyers to purchase from your personal website.
If Etsy itself placed your shop in vacation mode, you can't turn Vacation Mode off yourself. Etsy Help points you to the action items in your account instead.
Close the shop, close the account or delete the account
Etsy has four levels of leaving, and they differ in what you can undo. Vacation mode and closing the shop both keep your account and your access to past orders. Closing the account can be undone. In Etsy's words: Your account becomes inactive. Deleting the account removes it for good.
If you only want to stop selling, close the shop. If you also want to stop buying, close the account. Permanent deletion is for removing your data, and it can’t be undone.
Download your Etsy shop data before you leave
Closing a shop keeps your existing orders visible to you, but permanent deletion can’t be undone. Download your files first, especially if you plan to sell the same products on your own site.
Listings
In Shop Manager, go to Settings, Options, then the Download Data tab, and download the listings CSV. It holds Title Description Price Currency code Quantity Tags Materials Image URLs for your active listings, so download it before listings expire or the shop closes.
Orders and payments
On the same tab, under Orders, select the type of order data you want and choose Download CSV. Keep these files for tax and bookkeeping.
Shop settings and reviews
Under Take your data with you, select Download Your Shop Settings or Download Your Reviews. This gives you your own copy of your shop settings and reviews.
Everything Etsy holds about you
In Account settings, Privacy, request your data. Etsy emails you when it is ready, and you get a ZIP file of your data in both CSV and JSON formats. Requests expire after two weeks.
How to reopen an Etsy shop
A shop you closed yourself can come back: you can reopen your shop at any time. Sign in on a desktop or laptop computer. Open the link in the shop closure confirmation email, or the reopen link in Etsy Help, and select Reopen shop.
After reopening, check to see if any of your listings expired while you were away, and confirm your billing details. A listing that does not auto-renew lasts a fixed term (a listing expires after 4 months), so some may need renewing.
A closed account reopens differently. Enter the account's email on Etsy's reopen page, and you get an email from Etsy with a link to reopen your account. A shop suspended by Etsy is not reopened this way. Etsy Help says: Respond directly to that email and request that your shop be reopened.
If you are closing to sell on your own site
Many sellers close or pause an Etsy shop because they are moving to their own store. The order of steps matters, because some things are hard to get back once the shop is gone.
- Download the listings CSV and your photos while the listings are still active.
- Turn on vacation mode and set the vacation announcement so buyers know the shop is paused.
- Ship every open order and wait until no cases remain open.
- Pay the final Etsy bill and check the deposit has reached your bank.
- Close the shop. Keep the account if you want to reopen later or keep your order history.
Where Nation fits
Nation
Category: an AI store builder
Nation says one description of what you make builds the store, then agents handle orders, customers and delivery and run ads, content and social posts, with you approving the work. This page covers Etsy's own steps, and Nation is not part of them.
Limits today
- Status: pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai.
- Pricing and fees: not announced yet.
- Shopper marketplace: no shopper marketplace has been announced.
- Track record: no independent reviews or public stores yet.
Nation publishes this page. The steps come from Etsy Help, and Nation is not ranked or compared here.
Describe what you makeQuestions about closing an Etsy shop
How do I delete my Etsy shop?
You delete an Etsy shop by closing it in Shop Manager under Settings, Options, Close Shop. Your account becomes a buyer-only account with no visible shop, and you can reopen it later. To remove everything, permanently delete the account from Privacy settings, which can’t be undone.
Why can't I close my Etsy shop?
An Etsy shop cannot be closed while money or disputes are open. If the Close Shop option is missing, you need to close any unresolved cases or pay any overdue fees first. A shop that was never opened to the public has no close option at all, so you need to contact Etsy Support.
What happens to my listings and reviews when I close my Etsy shop?
When you close an Etsy shop, the shop and its listings are no longer visible, and your account becomes a buyer-only account with no visible shop. You keep access to your existing orders. Download your listings CSV and your reviews from the Download Data tab before closing, so you have your own copy.
How do I put my Etsy shop on vacation mode?
You put an Etsy shop on vacation mode in Shop Manager, under Settings and Options, on Etsy.com or in the Etsy Seller app. While it is on, your listings are hidden from search and can’t be purchased. You can add a vacation announcement and an auto-reply, and you still have to ship open orders.
Can I reopen my Etsy shop after closing it?
You can reopen an Etsy shop you closed yourself: you can reopen your shop at any time. Sign in on a desktop or laptop computer, open the link in the closure confirmation email and select Reopen shop. Then check for expired listings and confirm your billing details.
Can I use my Etsy shop name again after closing my account?
Closing an Etsy account won't free up your email address, username, or shop name for a new account. If you want to reuse your email on a new account, change the email on the old account before closing it. Closing only the shop keeps your account, so you can reopen the same shop later.