Running a WooCommerce store doesn’t mean you need to accept orders 24/7.
Whether you operate a bakery that only delivers during business hours, a local shop with pickup options, or a service-based store that processes orders within specific timeframes — setting clear opening and closing hours is essential.
Unfortunately, WooCommerce doesn’t offer this feature by default.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to easily control your store’s availability using the Open Close Store for WooCommerce plugin — so your online shop only accepts orders when you’re open.
🚫 The Problem: WooCommerce Is Always Open by Default
By default, WooCommerce has no concept of working hours. Once your store is live, it’s always open — 24/7, every day.
This can cause real issues for store owners, such as:
- Receiving orders outside of business hours
- Managing customer expectations manually
- Having to cancel orders that can’t be fulfilled
- Confusing users with no clear indication of store availability
Luckily, there’s a better way.
✅ The Solution: Set Store Hours Automatically With a Plugin
The easiest and most reliable way to set store opening and closing times is by using the Open Close Store for WooCommerce plugin.
This lightweight, easy-to-use plugin gives you full control over when your store is open or closed — no coding needed.
🔑 Key Features:
- Set Daily Opening and Closing Times Define your working hours for each day of the week.
- Auto Close Your Store Outside of Hours When closed, the “Add to Cart” buttons are automatically disabled site-wide.
- Custom Store Closed Message Display a friendly message like “We’re currently closed. Please visit us during business hours!”
- Works with Any Theme Seamlessly integrates with your existing WooCommerce setup.
- Lightweight & Optimized Doesn’t slow down your store and works straight out of the box.
🛠 How to Set Up Store Hours in WooCommerce (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Install the Plugin
Download and install the Open Close Store for WooCommerce plugin from the WordPress repository or upload it via your WordPress dashboard.
Go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin, and select the plugin file.
Step 2: Activate the Plugin
Once installed, click Activate to turn it on.
Step 3: Set Your Weekly Schedule
Go to WooCommerce → Store Hours Settings.
You’ll see options to define:
- Opening time for each day (e.g., Monday 9:00 AM)
- Closing time for each day (e.g., Monday 6:00 PM)
- Option to close store on specific days (e.g., Sunday)
Step 4: Customize the Closed Message
You can set a custom message that appears when your store is closed, such as:
“We’re currently closed. Please check back during our business hours.”
This message can appear site-wide or in specific places like the shop page and product pages.
Step 5: Save Changes and You’re Done
Click Save Changes, and your store is now fully scheduled!
Your store will automatically disable purchases outside of the configured hours and re-enable them when you’re open again.
💡 Bonus Tips for Better Store Management
- Add a Banner or Notice Let customers know when your store will open again. For example, “We open at 9:00 AM tomorrow!”
- Account for Holidays Close your store on holidays manually, or use filters to add exceptions.
- Set Time Zone Correctly Make sure your WordPress time zone setting (under Settings → General) matches your local time.
🏁 Final Thoughts
Setting opening and closing hours for your WooCommerce store improves customer experience, reduces confusion, and helps you manage your orders more effectively.
With the Store Hours Manager for WooCommerce plugin, you can easily control when your store is open — with no custom code or complex setup required.
🔗 Get Started Today
Ready to manage your store hours like a pro?
👉 Download the Open Close Store for WooCommerce Plugin
Take control of your store’s schedule and start offering a better experience for your customers.
