Wishing to create multiple websites for customers

[Jarryd]

Hi,

I am a web designer however new to zen cart. I wanted to find out if I am able to create multiple e-commerce websites for different customers, and offer them control over their website so that they are able to update it? I understand there is a multi site module to create multiple sites on one install, but am i able to create seperate accounts or logins for different customers so that they can update their websites themselves instead of myself updating and are they able to essentially have their own website?

Thanks alot

[DrByte]

You're certainly free to make a thousand different websites using Zen Cart. Each store stands on its own just fine, and the storeowner can log in and manage and operate their store completely independently of any other stores altogether. And in that context their design and template and visuals are also completely individual for them.

Not sure why you're talking about a multi-site module. It's not needed.

[schoolboy]

Well... anything is possible...

There are "web designers" and there are "web designers".
Most are only good at spelling the words "web designer" and a small handful are good at creating websites.

You and me are somewhere "in the middle".

Zencart is a very sophisticated, stand-alone, eCommerce site and was not natively designed to be a MALL. I have tried the multisite module a couple of times, and it is not a great success.

But as you are a "web designer", then you should have no problem loading up ZC on a test environment, installing whatever mods you need, and putting the thing through its paces.

In terms of individual logins... partly possible - depends on what you wish to reveal/hide .

[Jarryd]

OK but I was wondering how I go about doing that, and creating it in a way that my customers can log in and update their website?

[SPH]

OK but I was wondering how I go about doing that, and creating it in a way that my customers can log in and update their website?

As DrByte suggested, why not just build one zencart for each customer and let them login to their own ZC admins? What is the purpose of a multi-site solution? How do you see that working?

Or are you also thinking of the hosting cPanel logins with regard to maintaining the sites?

[philip937]

or are you tryin gto create a multi shop website like ebay where everyone logs into the same site but only see's their own products and each have their own shop front like /shop1 /shop2 ?

if so, you would have to completely re-design zen-cart.

I would suggest you set your cutomers up with their own cpanels/database, their own domains and their own set of zen-cart files..

[Jarryd]

Ya i am. although maybe im overthinking and confusing myself. I think i am misunderstanding how you create a zencart for each customer because when i first installed i had to setup with my own details. Now where would you create a seperate site for another customer? Ultimately at the end of the day i need to create more than one zencart however i need to set them up that my customers are able to update their carts like pricing and stock and what not. I appreciate the help

[philip937]

Ya i am. although maybe im overthinking and confusing myself. I think i am misunderstanding how you create a zencart for each customer because when i first installed i had to setup with my own details. Now where would you create a seperate site for another customer? Ultimately at the end of the day i need to create more than one zencart however i need to set them up that my customers are able to update their carts like pricing and stock and what not. I appreciate the help

If you have managed to install zen-cart once i'm sure you can install it again on another domain...

Still not sure what you are trying to achive here.

Each domain (or subdomain if your into them) should have it own seperate zen-cart fileset/install

each zen-cart install runs ONE shop. you can have multiple admin logins but they are all to the SAME shop.

No offence but if you are struggling to understand this concept I worry for your 'clients'.

[Jarryd]

or are you tryin gto create a multi shop website like ebay where everyone logs into the same site but only see's their own products and each have their own shop front like /shop1 /shop2 ?

if so, you would have to completely re-design zen-cart.

I would suggest you set your cutomers up with their own cpanels/database, their own domains and their own set of zen-cart files..

No exactly what you said their, i would like to set them up with their own cpanel and database with their own domains and fileset. I just wasnt sure how to install zen cart on seperate domains but obviously you do it through cpanel?

[schoolboy]

No exactly what you said their, i would like to set them up with their own cpanel and database with their own domains and fileset. I just wasnt sure how to install zen cart on seperate domains but obviously you do it through cpanel?

I thought you said you were a web designer...

I don't think you should be going out there trying to take people's money if you don't yet know the absolute basics of web hosting.