Wishing to create multiple websites for customers

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

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.

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 .

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?

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?

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?

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..

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

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

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'.

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..

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?

Jarryd:

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... :huh:

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.

I figured the forum would be a good place to get help. I dont normally have to worry about the hosting because I hand it over to somebody else who does it for me. I didnt say i was going out and taking peoples money for hosting i have to learn and start somewhere and i certainly dont have to know hosting to design a website. I guess for some of the people on this forum due to their vast experience and skill they'd much rather criticize than help. Like i said in the beginning, im new to zen cart

You arrived here saying you were a web designer... Then you should know how to design a website - and that includes hosting and how it works... To play around a bit on Adobe Creative Suite (or equivalent) does not necessarily mean a person is a "web designer".

Now... let's cut with the semantics... Of course you are welcome here... this is a ZENCART forum, so we assume you already know how to manage your webspace. Server management is NOT something we teach or discuss (in any detail) on this forum - unless it has a very specific bearing to zencart.

The reason for this approach is simple.

1. This forum relates to the use of zencart (and directly associated issues).
2. There are dedicated forums and tutorials out there for other functions and features, and they are all doing an excellent job.
3. So why re-invent the wheel here? We don't deal with general webmastering because it is not exclusive to zencart.

So... if I offended you, I am sorry... but don't go around giving yourself a title that you don't quite deserve yet...

My title here (after nearly 10,000 posts) is SCHOOLBOY, which indicates to everyone that I am still learning. :D

Oh dear...
Maybe do some sever side turorials/get advice from your server host as to how to set things up.. But as already said, if you don't know these basics you should not be taking on clients with businesses that could be their source of income.

I would suggest if you have Linux the a reseller account with ability to create cpanels and then load zen onto each for each of my clients. That's what I do....

schoolboy:

My title here (after nearly 10,000 posts) is SCHOOLBOY, which indicates to everyone that I am still learning. :D

Lol classic !!

Well i appologise for the misunderstanding, when i said i am a web developer i meant it as a general statement, then i am simply somebody who has designed a couple of websites and put them up. I am probably among the bottom 10 with experience and come on here to ask questions to learn. I have designed websites through dreamweaver for various people and they have been happy so i am by no means taking money from them unfairly. I dont understand why forums always go off topic, i simply wanted to learn how to setup zen cart for different people and give them access to their own website and i felt this was the best place to ask.

Well look to be honest its my first ecommerce website and I am doing it to help a friend out, in which case I am not even taking their money. ecommerce is new to me so i am just looking for the best place for advice.

Jarryd:

Well look to be honest its my first ecommerce website and I am doing it to help a friend out, in which case I am not even taking their money. ecommerce is new to me so i am just looking for the best place for advice.

That's what the forum is for. No one means to belittle you, I think simply the bold statements you have made raise a few eyebrows.

There are many ways to install onto a server, you can do it on individual cpanels, you can do it on addon domains you can do it with subdomains. But as its already been pointed out, that's not really what this forum is for.

If you have installation issues or need some advice how to set your store up, search the forum and if you don't find an answer find a suitable place to post a relevant question.

You are very welcome here anyone will tell you that.

Well i wasnt purposely creating a bold statement nor claiming any status. But thanks for your help i'll ask my hosting company

Jarryd:

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've set-up various zencarts for myself and my sister, and may soon have a first "client" who contacted my sister the other day about a site.

We'd set-up - or help the client set-up - a domain name and hosting provider with cPanel (we would not be the host). Then install the zencart and a template. Basic ZC installation. Then probably some common mods like Image Handler and whatnot. Help the client with her images, getting them uploaded. She will not have but a few products to start, but help with those. Basically getting her an operational site. And some training would likely be involved.

Finishing with suggesting that passwords/logins be changed.

Like I said, my first "client", if she wants a site.

If I received other clients I'd repeat the process, much the same way I install our sites.

Some "clients" might already have a hosting provider and a domain name and just want help with a zencart install.

I don't see the need for a multi-zencart solution.*

And since we're not the hosting provider, no need for a common hosting solution.

*Now, I've heard of a multi-store solution that some carts may have, and I think there may have been one for zencart at one time. That is if I have several zencarts and wish to operate them all through one zencart admin. But that would only work for a single owner of multiple carts. It wouldn't work, and would be a great security risk, to do that with several different owners through one zencart admin.

Steve
prommart.com

If you download the original Zen Cart installation files (link on home page of www.zen-cart.com), when you unzip it you'll find a /docs/ folder, and in there an ImplementationGuide.pdf file which explains how to install Zen Cart. There are also HTML files in that same folder that talk about installation too.

Might be a good place to start, since that's the included documentation.

And then for "multiple" (or "additional" is probably more what you meant in your first post), just wash-rinse-repeat.