If you run a WooCommerce store, you’ve probably wished you could just “close” it sometimes. Maybe you’re a restaurant that only accepts online orders during kitchen hours. Maybe you’re a small business owner who doesn’t ship on weekends. Or maybe you just want to take a vacation without orders piling up.
The problem? WooCommerce doesn’t have a built-in way to disable checkout on a schedule. Your store is either open 24/7, or you’re manually toggling catalog mode on and off. Neither option works well for businesses with real-world operating hours.
That’s exactly why we built Cart Scheduler Pro for WooCommerce.
What Does Cart Scheduler Pro Do?
In short: it lets you control exactly when your WooCommerce store accepts orders.
When your store is “closed,” customers can still browse your products and add items to their cart — but they can’t check out. They’ll see a customizable message explaining when you’ll be back, and optionally a countdown timer showing exactly how long until you reopen.
Think of it like flipping the “Open/Closed” sign on a brick-and-mortar shop, except it’s automated.
The Problem With Always-On eCommerce
For many online stores, 24/7 availability is a feature. But for others, it’s a headache:
Can’t fulfill orders when the kitchen is closed
Don’t want orders on days they can’t ship
Need to pause bookings during holidays
Want to actually take time off without anxiety
Without a scheduling tool, you’re stuck with workarounds: manually editing your site, using maintenance mode (which hides everything), or just hoping customers read your “we’re closed” banner and don’t order anyway. None of those solutions are great. Cart Scheduler Pro is.
Key Features
Flexible Date & Time Scheduling
Set a closure for any period — a few hours, a day, a week, or longer. Specify exact start and end times. Close at 5pm Friday, reopen at 9am Monday. Done.
Recurring Schedules
Automatically close every weekend, specific days, or during daily hours (10pm to 6am every night). Configure it once and it runs forever.
Multiple Scheduled Closures
Queue up as many closures as you need. Schedule your Christmas break in November. Add a maintenance window for next month. Each can have its own custom message.
Pre-Closure Warning Banner
“Store closing in 2 hours — complete your order now!” Drives urgency, reduces abandoned carts, and keeps customers informed.
Countdown Timer Popup
When closed, visitors see a sleek popup with a live countdown showing days, hours, minutes, and seconds until you reopen.
Smart Exclusions
Let admins or wholesalers purchase anytime. Keep digital downloads available 24/7. Close physical products but keep services open.
Email Notifications
Get reminders before closures. Notify customers when their cart is cleared. Send “We’re back open!” emails when you reopen.
Emergency Close Button
Need to close immediately? One click and your store is closed until you manually reopen it. No schedule needed.
Real-World Use Cases
- Restaurant with online ordering
Close checkout outside kitchen hours (11am-9pm). Customers can browse the menu anytime, but orders only come through when you can actually make the food.
- Retail store with limited shipping days
Automatically close Friday evening through Sunday. You won’t come back Monday to a pile of orders you can’t fulfill until mid-week anyway.
- Vacation mode
Schedule your two-week holiday closure months in advance. Customers see exactly when you’ll return, and you’re not checking your phone on the beach.
- Weekend maintenance
Close Saturday nights from 2am-6am for updates and backups. Customers rarely notice, and you have a guaranteed maintenance window.
- Seasonal business
Close completely during your off-season with a message about when you’ll be back for the new season.
How It Works
After installing the plugin, you’ll find a new “Cart Scheduler” menu under WooCommerce. The interface is clean and straightforward:
- Schedule Tab — Set quick closures or manage multiple scheduled periods
- Message Tab — Customize what customers see during closures
- Recurring Tab — Configure automatic weekly or daily closures
- Exclusions Tab — Set which roles, products, or categories bypass restrictions
- Display Tab — Configure the countdown timer and warning banner
- Notifications Tab — Set up email alerts
The status bar at the top always shows whether your store is currently open, closed, or has an upcoming scheduled closure.
Pricing
$79
One-time purchase. That includes:
- Lifetime updates
- All features (no tiers or upsells)
- Email support
No subscription. No annual renewals. Buy it once, use it forever.
Get Started
If you’ve ever wished you could just close your WooCommerce store on a schedule, Cart Scheduler Pro is the solution. It’s the store hours functionality that WooCommerce should have built in.
Cart Scheduler Pro is developed by 914 Digital, a WordPress development agency specializing in WooCommerce solutions.
