If you sell on both eBay and Depop, a holiday needs two marketplace checks and one stock plan. Start with the days when you can actually pack and send orders, then set each shop accordingly.
The most easily missed detail is that Depop’s pause expires automatically. eBay also has exceptions that matter if you run auctions or accept offers. The settings below were checked against official guidance on 5 November 2026.
Compare the two holiday controls
| Platform | Published options | Detail to plan around |
|---|---|---|
| eBay Time Away | Allow sales for up to 15 days, or pause sales for up to 30 days | Pausing affects fixed-price purchases; auctions can still sell |
| Depop Vacation Mode | Pause purchases for seven days | The switch turns off automatically after that period |
On eBay, open Time Away, schedule the dates and choose whether to allow or pause sales. Changes can take a few hours. Some offer-related transactions and local-pickup listings do not receive automatic delivery-date adjustments. Check those separately. eBay Time Away guidance
Depop provides its Vacation Mode switch in app account settings and the web Selling Hub. Listings remain discoverable, but purchases are paused. You can still access orders and messages; existing sales and disputes still need attention. Depop Vacation Mode guidance
Choose between continuing sales and taking a full break
Decide what you can realistically manage. If you have no access to your stock, do not build a plan around dispatching an unexpected order from your phone.
If another person will help, agree the limits beforehand. Can they find the stock, inspect it, pack it correctly and use the required shipping label? Can they deal with a buyer’s question about an item they have not handled? A vague promise to “keep an eye on things” is not a dispatch arrangement.
If you intend to continue accepting some sales, review what the buyer will see for those listings. Check the delivery estimate and any collection arrangement against your actual return date. Use the pause option where continuing sales would create commitments you cannot meet.
Finish a short departure checklist
Create one list covering both shops:
- Orders paid and awaiting dispatch.
- Parcels packed but not yet lodged.
- Messages needing an answer before you leave.
- Open cancellations, returns or delivery requests.
- Local collections and unpaid holds already agreed.
- Listings or offers that need a separate availability check.
Give each entry a next action and a date. “Parcel ready” is less useful than “lodge Tuesday morning; keep the receipt with order 123”.
If an item is also advertised on Facebook Marketplace, resolve its collection commitments too. An eBay or Depop setting is not evidence that a separate local advert has changed. The pending and sold guide helps distinguish an enquiry from a hold or completed sale.
Plan for a trip longer than seven days
For Depop, put the Vacation Mode expiry into your own calendar and work out how you will keep the shop unavailable beyond it. Check the control at the end of the period and re-enable it when required. If you cannot reliably do that, arrange another supported way to make the affected listings unavailable before leaving.
For either platform, verify the exact dates shown after saving. Do not assume the date you start travelling is the right date to stop accepting work. You may need a final packing day before departure and a catch-up day after returning.
Also review tools scheduled to publish or relist items while you are away. Confirm what they will do and whether you need to change their schedule. Treat this as a settings check, not an assumption that every automation follows a marketplace holiday switch.
Write a useful message about your availability
A short message is enough:
I am away from [date] to [date]. My next planned dispatch day is [date]. I will check existing-order messages [when you can realistically check them]. Please refer to the listing’s delivery information before placing an order.
Replace the brackets and use wording consistent with whether you are accepting sales. Do not promise daily replies if you will have no internet connection.
If you are taking a Christmas break, check the 2026 posting-date guide before choosing that next dispatch day. Your personal schedule and a carrier’s sending deadline are separate parts of the plan.
Reopen after checking the stock
When you return, inspect the outstanding-order queue first. Confirm that anything sold during the break is reserved for its buyer and that any returned item has actually arrived before offering it again.
Then check each shop’s status and a small sample of listings. Compare their availability with your stock record, particularly if someone else packed orders for you.
Use the eBay and Depop inventory reconciliation guide to resolve mismatches. Once the queue and stock agree, resume your normal listing routine with a dispatch promise you can keep.
Frequently asked questions
Does putting eBay on Time Away also pause my Depop shop?
Set and verify the holiday controls in each marketplace separately. Only rely on a connected tool to change both shops if that exact behaviour is documented and you have confirmed the result.
How long does Depop Vacation Mode last?
Depop says Vacation Mode turns off automatically after seven days. If you will be away longer, plan for that expiry instead of assuming the shop stays paused until you return.
Can I ignore existing orders while my shops are paused?
No. Review outstanding orders, messages and open requests before leaving, and arrange how you will deal with them during the break. A pause on new purchases does not resolve existing commitments.