I have just re opened my shop after being on holiday mode for a few days, I think maybe in the future I will keep my shop open and adjust the dispatch times like I do on my US selling platform. It seems more and more people leave their shops open because it looks like when you have it on holiday mode it takes forever to be seen again, just my thoughts 
I suppose it depends why you are closing your shop and how long for. If you are going away for quite a while i’m not sure people always read the dispatch time and may be a little upset to find they have to wait 2 weeks for an item. I know that isn’t your problem but it may reflect badly on you. Also I close my shop when attending a craft fair as it would be a nightmare to keep the shop up to date every time I made a sale.
I suppose it also depends how many items you have in stock - I have over 150 and the idea of having to edit them all before I go away and again when I get back is pretty horrendous!
Roz
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Last time I went away I put my shop in holiday mode but I was going to be away for 6 weeks and I don’t think that is a reasonable dispatch time. If I was only going away for a weekend I would leave the shop open.
If I am doing a show I tend to put my shop in holiday mode so that I don’t have to attempt to update it when I sell an item that I cannot remake - I’d rather be focusing on customers than scrolling through pages of listings looking something. I guess whether you do that is dependant on how readily you can remake something and how many listings you have to get through.
Sasha
If I’m only going for a weekend then no I don’t but if it’s longer than my 3 working days for posting ie someone pays but I’m not available in time to post it out then yes I use holiday mode.
Also if I get messages asking about something in the shop I’m would not be happy if I couldn’t answer the customer within 12hours on a Monday to Friday. I don’t tend to answer on a sunday it’s my day off anyway. But I have answered on a sunday occassionally.
I don’t combine business with my holidays and time off. No point being away on hols or spending time with family/friends if all I’m doing is being stuck working on business. So holiday mode will alert potential customer I’m not available.
Thanks Roz, I mainly go away for a few days so no need to turn my shop off, however if I am to go away for longer then yes I would turn it off, no point being on holiday and not on holiday if you know what I mean. It just that when I have closed in the past it seems all the sales stop coming in.
I do combine business with holidays but not normally email checking. A recent trip was to Italy and I combined the canals and back alleys of Venice with a trip to Murano to buy beads - better choice and cheaper than if I was to buy them in the UK and I’d be looking at them anyway - also get to claim some of the travel costs as a business expense. I’m planning on working my way round the world in this manner but I guess its not possible for all crafters to go to source for their materials.
Ooo never thought about claiming travel expenses … now where can I go to find wool - New Zealand perhaps or Scandanavia
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I was in New Zealand in January buying the local jade (some of the other rocks I collected are currently with my tame lapidarist waiting to be cut). I also fitted in some kayaking, hiking, wine tasting, whale watching whilst I was there, after all it can’t all be work, work, work. I can recommend a shop that did wonderful merino and merino/possum blended yarns if you are interested…
I am unable to make new items for about 4-6 weeks due to work commitments, rather than putting the shop in holiday mode I have put together a small box of my most popular items that I am carrying with me and hidden the rest of the shop. I am trying this route but have seen a significant reduction in views but am hoping to keep the shop ticking over whilst not loosing too much ground overall. I am discussing custom orders with customers and advising them I am unable to make for about 6 weeks and some have been happy to wait in exchange for free p&p.