Magento multi-store

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mdf

3513 posts

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#153885 11-Oct-2014 10:07

Has anyone used/implemented Magento's multi store feature?

We've got several e-commerce websites (all currently on Shopify). These were set up as separate websites for very good reasons at the time, some of which even still apply. The lack of easy inventory and order managements between the multiple sites is becoming an increasing problem. Shopify isn't exactly cheap, either.

I've been looking into some alternatives, and have seen that Magento has a multi store feature. Has anyone used this? Does it work well? Any pros and cons that you'd like to share?

If we decided to make the switch, we'd be getting professionals to do it. But I'd really appreciate any user feedback prior to going down something that may prove to be a blind alley.

Jimwalker

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1152081 12-Oct-2014 08:15

EverMe is using the Magento Multi Store
http://www.everme.co.nz/
http://www.everme.com.au/

So multi store and currency. With Magento & Accredo

mdf

3513 posts

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#1152374 12-Oct-2014 20:20

Thanks. Looks like a nice website.

What's it like to use? We'd be getting a professional to set it up, but we're in a seasonal business that means we're often uploading new products. We like the more straightforward usability of Shopify or Neto, but so far as I know, neither of those offer a multi site platform.

Jimwalker

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1152523 13-Oct-2014 08:41

It has modules that you can download and add functionality to the website. For instance, if you wanted to offer gift card, you can find an addon fot it, Buy it and install it.
See
http://www.magentocommerce.com/magento-connect/

Products - So it can accept upload from excel formatted data. Or you could even get your accounting/inventory software to upload the product information/.
It also has a nice back end for inputting in data and viewing data. Very easy for staff to use the backend. For view orders or uploading product information.

katietommo

13 posts

Geek

#1154003 14-Oct-2014 22:31

I've had several Magento stores in the past and what I've always found the most effective way is to outsource to the Philippines for product uploading/entry if you don't want to use the spreadsheet import (spreadsheet import is good, though).
You can hire someone via oDesk for around US$5/hr as needed that does it all day every day. In the case of a client site, he has someone in the Philippines on my recommendation and thinks it's great - he emails the product details to her and she formats everything and uploads it while he does things that make more than $5/hr.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#1154015 14-Oct-2014 22:58

I doubt you will save any money unless you contract out the work offshore, as you will have quite high hosting and ongoing maintenance/ troubleshooting costs, as well as customization and setup costs. Although shopify on the surface looks quite expensive and they charge a percentage commission of each sale on cheaper plans, it does include all the software backend and hosting.

katietommo

13 posts

Geek

#1154029 14-Oct-2014 23:15

Hosting setup is important for Magento, but overall the available plugins tend to be cheaper than Spotify and it's more flexible if you have good developers. Magento Go is being closed down, which is a shame, because now you'll need proper hosting. I've always had it on my own servers, but there are dedicated Magento hosting companies out there.

If you want to go the route of your own servers, I use Hetzner in Germany - 60-80 Euros gets you a screamer of a machine, but you will need setup and various ongoing stuff. E.g. http://www.hetzner.de/en/hosting/produkte_rootserver/ex60. Or you can get managed servers from them, too starting at EUR99/month.

I only use developers in the Ukraine and Russia - I have an excellent team in Cherkassy that specialises in Magento, but you need to know what you are doing to get the best out of them.

I ran a multistore with two stores off the one product database.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#1154039 14-Oct-2014 23:44

katietommo: Hosting setup is important for Magento, but overall the available plugins tend to be cheaper than Spotify and it's more flexible if you have good developers. Magento Go is being closed down, which is a shame, because now you'll need proper hosting. I've always had it on my own servers, but there are dedicated Magento hosting companies out there.

If you want to go the route of your own servers, I use Hetzner in Germany - 60-80 Euros gets you a screamer of a machine, but you will need setup and various ongoing stuff. E.g. http://www.hetzner.de/en/hosting/produkte_rootserver/ex60. Or you can get managed servers from them, too starting at EUR99/month.

I only use developers in the Ukraine and Russia - I have an excellent team in Cherkassy that specialises in Magento, but you need to know what you are doing to get the best out of them.

I ran a multistore with two stores off the one product database.

All true, but it is a lot more hassle and you have to know what providers and developers to use, which usually comes from trial and error. Personally I only use local developers on projects, because clients want to know they are support NZ staff, and they can be easily contacted if things go wrong. But adds to the price a lot. These days I do often find it too much hassle and now usually use Software as a service systems, as they are always being updated, and their have reasonable reliability.

The big downside with Software as a service, over systems like a self hosted version of magento, is these ecommorce providers can close down or change their plans and pricing, and there is nothing you can do apart from move provider, as you are only renting the website.

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katietommo

13 posts

Geek

#1154040 14-Oct-2014 23:47

mattwnz: The big downside with Software as a service, over systems like a self hosted version of magento, is these ecommorce providers can close down or change their plans and pricing, and there is nothing you can do apart from move provider, as you are only renting the website.

Yep - and that's what's happened with Magento Go after I've been recommending it, which is a bit annoying

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#1154043 14-Oct-2014 23:59

katietommo:
mattwnz: The big downside with Software as a service, over systems like a self hosted version of magento, is these ecommorce providers can close down or change their plans and pricing, and there is nothing you can do apart from move provider, as you are only renting the website.

Yep - and that's what's happened with Magento Go after I've been recommending it, which is a bit annoying

Yes I was looking at that as on option too, as it looked like an excellent solution. They suggested an alternative to migrate to, which I test drived, and doesn't look as good, and doesn't have NZ shipping regions, nor Xero integration without paying a third party. Things do seem to move quickly in the world of ecommerce solutions.

mdf

3513 posts

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#1154318 15-Oct-2014 11:46

Thanks for the help and sharing your experiences.

The business is more than a little bit complicated - there are three websites, in-store retail sales and a wholesale operation (it wasn't designed this way, just sort of evolved). As it stands, there is a LOT of duplication and re-keying information. And it's sporting goods and apparel, so both very seasonal (the all new Nikedas Velociraptor 2015 model boot) and lots of products/variations (Nikedas Velociraptor in pink/green AND green/pink... times 12 sizes...)

I've been looking around for a solution and have reached the point where there just isn't one, short of paying someone a large sum of money to put together something custom. Inventory and order management system A will work fine with website B, but doesn't work with POS C. Inventory and order management system D works well with multiple websites E, F and G, but doesn't support wholesale price lists and manual quoting. Inventory and order management system H does great work with website I and POS J, but only one website at a time. And on and on. It's like solving simultaneous equations or playing chess - move this here, but then that has to go there, but that is bad because...

The list of systems and options I've considered is extensive (TradeVine, TradeGecko, Stitch, Unleashed, Dear, Cin7, Magento, WooCommerce, Shopify, Neto, Vend, UniCenta, Erply) and there are some really cool systems out there with some smart and helpful people, they just don't do everything for us.

We're now scaling back our ambitions and just trying to tidy up some things well, rather than trying to do everything.

I'm now leaning towards WooCommerce and TradeGecko, particularly for the wholesale side of the business. Magento is just too big and complicated for what we need, I think. The wholesale website is more of a catalogue rather than an actual e-commerce site, so not mission critical the same way the retail site is. Seems like a good place to test some options out. I hadn't used WooCommerce before, but I have some experience with Wordpress. I was having a play and surprised myself with how easy it was to put together (I had planned to send it to a developer, but might save the budget and put it all towards the retail site).

Anyone else with experience of WooCommerce that is going to point out a fatal flaw in my plans? Better now than never.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#1154345 15-Oct-2014 12:26

I did a lot of research into shopping carts a few years ago,and one I came across but never tried was CS Cart, which I believe offers multicart. Have you looked at that one?

Woocommerce looks ok and have trialled it a bit, although quite simple.