You may have had a lot of headaches managing several online stores importing the same products in each one. Added to this is having to spread out your clients and keep a notebook with multiple credentials in different web addresses to access the information.
Do you know the PrestaShop MultiStore feature? Implemented since version 1.5, it allows you to manage several stores at once from a single application. This way, you can centralize your business in a simple and practical way. We show you the steps you need to take.
To activate or not to activate a Prestashop MultiStore, that is the question
You may be wondering if you need to activate the PrestaShop 1.7 MultiStore feature. Don't wait any longer to find out. We have the answer ready.
At this point in your journey, you need to think about the type of business you want to set up . Setting up a small neighborhood stationery store is not the same as opening several bookstores and stationery stores in a shopping center.
If you want to create a store that is displayed in multiple languages, has multiple currencies as payment methods, or each product category has a different art line, it is not necessary to activate the functionality.
If you have an ambitious project in hand and you want several stores to share products, services, customers and orders, don't think twice: MultiStore is an option that you have to activate .
How to activate your PrestaShop 1.7 MultiStore?
If you have already made up your mind, it is time to get down to work to activate the PrestaShop 1.7 Multistore function.
Enabling this feature is very simple. Just go to the main menu: Store Parameters – Configuration and click “Yes” in the “Activate MultiStore” option. This feature is almost at the end.
It is important to note that you must not only click on “Yes”, but you must also click on the diskette drawing that you will find at the bottom right to save the changes.
It's not as difficult as you thought, is it? With this change, a new subtab will appear in the left menu; specifically, in Advanced Parameters called MultiStore.
Now we go one step further and enter the world of Prestashop MultiStore configuration. To do this, you need to know how to create a store group, a new store and how to configure the web address. Let's get to it!
How to set up a group of stores?
PrestaShop 1.7 allows you to organize your stores within a single group. This way, you can share the catalog, employees, carriers, modules, etc. with all the stores in the same group.
In addition, the group of stores allows that, when you make a change , it is made effective in all stores at the same time, saving you an infinite amount of time.
To create a store group, go to Administration , from the menu click Advanced Parameters , MultiStore and finally Add new store group .
At this point, we recommend that you take a break and spend five minutes reading each section. You will not be able to restore some of them once the group has been created.
Once you have everything ready, you just need to put the name of the group in the first box. Remember to click on the Save button at the bottom right.
How to create a new store?
Previously, we made progress on the route by creating a group of stores. Now it is time to incorporate the first store into it .
To do this, you have to go to Administration , Advanced Parameters and click on MultiStore . Within this section and, specifically, in the upper right-hand corner, you have to left-click on the Add Store button.
At this point you will be able to see two clearly differentiated blocks: Store and Import data from another store.
The first one is used to create a new store while the second one is used to import the content of another store installed on your PrestaShop to the one you are currently creating.
We will briefly explain each block so that you do not have any problems or doubts when configuring it. Imagine that you are going to build two different buildings. That is the key to the configuration. Let's see how to carry out the works.
Build the store block
We show you the steps to follow to raise the tent block:
1. Store name : choose an attractive name, as this is what customers will see on the front page of the website, invoices, emails, etc.
2. Store Group – This option allows you to frame the store you are creating within a set of stores.
3. Root/Parent Category – This feature is designed to add stores within an existing one. What is the purpose? To share the product catalogue. If you want it to be independent, select the default Home category.
4. Theme : This option allows you to choose the design you like best from those you have uploaded to your PrestaShop for each store.
Building the Import Data from Another Store Block
How to build the Import data from another store block? We provide you with the three essential keys:
1. Import data – If you do not activate this option, the new store will not share information with any other store.
2. Choose the source store : Choose the store from which you want the data to be copied.
3. Select the data you want to import : Check all the boxes you want to be imported from the source store.
How to set a URL for the store?
We have reached the final stretch of our journey. You have activated and configured your Prestashop MultiStore, in which you have created a store and a group of stores. Simple, right?
Imagine that you have created the “Books” store. Well, the next step along the way is to set a URL for the store . You need to go to Advanced Parameters – MultiStore and, in the Multimedia Tree, the “Books” store will appear.
When you click on it, you will see a text that says: “Click here to set a URL for this store” . From there you can indicate the web address of your store.
So, your dream of expanding your bookstores and stationery stores into a shopping mall thanks to the PrestaShop 1.7 Multi-Store feature has come true.
