How to Cancel Your Etsy Seller Account:Complete Closure Guide
Ready to close your Etsy shop? This guide covers every option — from temporarily pausing to permanently deleting your seller account. Learn what happens to your reviews, funds, and data, plus critical steps to take before you leave.
🔴Quick Answer: How to Cancel Your Etsy Seller Account
To cancel your Etsy seller account: Go to Shop Manager → Settings → Options → Scroll to "Close Shop" → Follow the prompts to close. If you want to delete your entire Etsy account (buyer + seller), go to Account Settings → Privacy → Request to delete account.
Closing your shop removes your listings from search but keeps your account. Deleting your account is permanent and removes everything.
Understanding Your Options
Before canceling, know that Etsy offers three different levels of leaving
| Option | What It Does | Reversible? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vacation Mode | Hides listings temporarily | Yes, anytime | Taking a break, busy period |
| Close Shop | Removes listings, keeps account | Yes, can reopen | Leaving selling but keeping buyer account |
| Delete Account | Removes everything permanently | No | Complete departure from Etsy |
Important: Most sellers who "cancel" actually mean closing their shop — not deleting their entire Etsy account. Make sure you know what you want before proceeding.
Prerequisites Before Closing
You cannot close your shop if you have any of these issues
You cannot close your shop if you have:
- ✕Open orders that haven't shipped
- ✕Open cases or disputes
- ✕An overdue balance owed to Etsy
- ✕Active Etsy Ads campaigns (must pause first)
- ✕Pending refunds or chargebacks
Resolve all of these before attempting to close.
How to Close Your Etsy Shop
Step-by-step shop closure process
Log into your Etsy seller account
Access your Etsy account through the website.
Go to Shop Manager
Navigate to your Shop Manager dashboard.
Click Settings in the left sidebar
Find the Settings option in the navigation menu.
Select Options
Click on Options in the settings submenu.
Scroll to the bottom and find "Close Shop"
The close shop option is at the bottom of the page.
Click Close Shop
Click the button to initiate the closing process.
Review any issues preventing closure
Etsy will show you any issues like open orders, balance due, etc.
Select a reason for closing
Choose the most relevant reason from the options provided.
Confirm by clicking Close Shop again
Complete the process and receive a confirmation email.
- • Your shop is now closed
- • Your listings become drafts
- • You can reopen anytime
How to Delete Your Entire Etsy Account
Deleting removes everything permanently — buyer account, reviews, purchase history, and all data
⚠️ Warning: This is permanent and cannot be undone!
Before You Delete
Download your data
Request a data download from Account Settings → Privacy
Save important records
Order history, financial statements, customer communications
Withdraw all funds
Make sure your payment account balance is $0
Wait for pending payments
Etsy holds funds for security periods
Close your shop first
You must close your shop before deleting your account
Close your shop first
You must close your shop before deleting your account (follow steps above).
Go to Account Settings
Click your account icon → Account settings.
Click Privacy in the left menu
Navigate to the Privacy section.
Scroll to "Delete Your Account"
Find the account deletion section.
Click Request Account Deletion
Start the deletion request process.
Verify you have no outstanding obligations
Etsy will check for any pending issues.
Confirm deletion
Confirm your decision to permanently delete.
Wait for processing
Etsy processes the request (may take up to 30 days).
- • Deletion is permanent
- • Etsy may retain some data for legal and tax compliance
Note: Etsy may retain some data for legal and tax compliance purposes even after deletion.
What Happens When You Close Your Shop?
Understand the immediate and long-term effects
→Immediate Effects
- Listings disappear — All listings removed from Etsy search and your shop page
- Shop URL shows closed — Visitors see "This shop is taking a break"
- No new orders — You can't receive orders or messages about products
- Etsy Ads stop — Any running campaigns are paused
✓What You Keep
- All your earned reviews
- Complete sales history
- Tax documents and payment history
- Star Seller status (if earned)
- Your buyer account
- Your shop name (reserved)
What You Keep After Closing
These elements remain attached to your account
| Kept | Details |
|---|---|
| Seller reviews | All your earned reviews remain on your account |
| Sales history | Complete record of all past transactions |
| Financial records | Tax documents and payment history accessible |
| Star Seller status | Badge remains tied to your account |
| Buyer account | Can still purchase on Etsy |
| Shop name | Reserved for you if you reopen |
What You Lose After Closing
These features are disabled when your shop closes
| Lost | Details |
|---|---|
| Search visibility | Products no longer appear in Etsy search |
| Active listings | All listings become inactive (drafts) |
| Shop favorites | Buyers can't favorite your shop anymore |
| Team membership | Removed from any Etsy Teams |
| Etsy Plus benefits | If subscribed, benefits end |
Shop Closure: Key Numbers
Vacation Mode: The Alternative to Closing
If you're not ready to fully close, consider Vacation Mode
How to Turn On Vacation Mode
Go to Shop Manager → Settings → Options
Navigate to your shop options.
Find "Vacation mode"
Look for the vacation mode toggle.
Toggle it On
Enable vacation mode for your shop.
Set a custom message for visitors
Let buyers know you're away.
Choose whether to hide listings from search
Decide if you want listings visible or hidden.
- • Best for: Taking a break, seasonal shops, personal emergencies, inventory restocking
Vacation Mode vs. Closing
| Feature | Vacation Mode | Close Shop |
|---|---|---|
| Listings visible | Optional (you choose) | No |
| Can receive messages | Yes | No |
| Reviews visible | Yes | Yes |
| Can reactivate | Instantly | Takes a few steps |
| Shop name protected | Yes | Yes |
| Etsy Plus continues | Yes (if subscribed) | No |
Financial Considerations Before Closing
Make sure your finances are in order
If You Owe Etsy Money
- • You cannot close until the balance is paid
- • Pay through: Shop Manager → Finances → Payment account → Pay balance
If Etsy Owes You Money
- • Set up deposit schedule to receive remaining funds
- • Funds typically arrive within 3-5 business days after orders complete
- • Etsy holds funds for 3-day security period after order completion
Tax Documents to Download
Before closing, download and save:
- • 1099-K forms (if you received $600+ in sales)
- • Sales reports for your records
- • State sales tax reports (if applicable)
Access these at: Shop Manager → Finances → Legal and tax information
Etsy Fees After Closing
- • No new listing fees (listings become drafts)
- • No new transaction fees (no orders possible)
- • Outstanding fees still due
- • Etsy Plus subscription ends (no refund for partial month)
Reopening Your Shop Later
Changed your mind? Reopening is straightforward
How to Reopen
- Log into Etsy
- Go to Shop Manager
- You'll see a prompt to Reopen your shop
- Click Reopen Shop
- Review and update your shop settings
- Reactivate listings (they're saved as drafts)
✓What Returns When You Reopen
- All your reviews and Star Seller status
- Previous listings (as drafts — you choose which to publish)
- Sales history and customer records
- Your original shop name (if not claimed after extended closure)
$Listing Fees on Reopening
- $0.20 per listing fee applies when you reactivate
- 4-month listing period starts fresh
- You must have a valid payment method on file
Common Reasons Sellers Close
Understanding why others close might help your decision
| Reason | What to Consider |
|---|---|
| Not making sales | Try optimizing listings before closing |
| Fees too high | Calculate actual fee percentage — often lower than perceived |
| Taking a break | Use Vacation Mode instead |
| Moving to another platform | Keep Etsy open as secondary channel |
| Personal reasons | Vacation Mode preserves your progress |
| Retirement | Consider selling your shop instead |
Alternatives to Closing
Before you close, consider these options
Optimize Instead
Improve SEO with better tags and titles, refresh product photos, adjust pricing, run Etsy Ads
Reduce Your Footprint
Deactivate slow-selling listings, focus on best performers, reduce inventory scope
Sell Your Shop
Established shops with good reviews have value — consider selling to another seller
Automate and Minimize
Use automated shipping labels, inventory management software, canned responses
Common Issues When Closing
Troubleshooting common problems
"I Can't Find the Close Shop Option"
Possible causes:
- You have open orders
- You owe Etsy money
- Active cases or disputes
- You're viewing the wrong settings page
Solution: Go to Shop Manager → Finances to check for outstanding issues.
"Etsy Says I Have an Open Order But I Don't"
Possible causes:
- Order recently marked shipped but not yet delivered
- Pending case or dispute
- Order in processing state
Solution: Check Orders & Shipping for any orders not marked "Completed."
"I Closed But My Shop Still Shows"
Etsy may take 24-48 hours to fully process closure. If your shop still shows after 48 hours, contact support.
"I Want to Reopen But Can't"
Possible causes:
- Account suspended for policy violations
- Outstanding balance still owed
- Account flagged for review
Solution: Contact Etsy support with your shop name and issue details.
Best Practices for Closing Your Shop
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌Don't Do This
- •Close with open orders — you can't, and it damages your metrics
- •Delete your account impulsively — it's permanent
- •Forget about taxes — you still need records for tax filing
- •Ignore pending cases — resolve disputes before closing
- •Assume you'll lose reviews — they stay with your account
- •Skip the data download — you can't get it back later
- •Confuse closing with deleting — they're very different actions
✅Do This Instead
- •Fulfill all orders before closing — protect your reputation
- •Download your data including sales reports and tax documents
- •Withdraw your funds to avoid complications
- •Consider Vacation Mode if you might return
- •Save important communications with customers
- •Update customers about your closure if appropriate
- •Check for outstanding balances and pay what you owe
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about canceling your Etsy seller account.
Related Guides
This guide reflects Etsy's policies and features as of February 2026. Account closure procedures, data retention policies, and fee structures may change without notice. Always verify current details in your Etsy account settings or contact Etsy support for the most accurate information. Consult a tax professional regarding any tax implications of closing your business.
Not Ready to Close?
Before you close your Etsy shop, make sure you've optimized your listings for maximum visibility. InsightAgent helps you find trending keywords, analyze competitors, and improve your SEO — potentially turning around a struggling shop.