Multishop/Multistore Benefits vs Downsides & Limitations (SSL? CDN?)

[techjp]

Hi everyone,

 

I am in the early stages of building multiple web stores using PrestaShop. I have been selling online for 10 years but never with my own stores, always through 3rd party sites. I have a background in IT & programming.

 

We would like to have all stores use proper identifying SSL certificates. Is this possible with a MultiStore setup? Do special multi domain certs need to be used or can I install multiple separate SSL certificates into a PrestaShop multistore installation?

 

We have customers all over the world so would like to use a CDN together with our stores. In particular we are considering CloudFlare due to their reasonable prices, good API automation, and apparently very good SSL support. Are there any issues with using CloudFlare together with PrestShop multistore setups? (For that matter, any big issues using CloudFlare with PrestaShop in general?)

 

As best I can tell the benefits I can see for a multistore setup would be a single point of administration, a shared product catalog, and in many cases the ability to share expensive plugins across all stores in one installation. Are there other benefits that I am not seeing?

 

Finally, are there any big limitations, "gotchas", or other issues with using a multistore setup?

 

Thank you very much in advance for any insight and assistance!

Edited February 17, 2015 by ncast (see edit history)

[Web Merchant 66]

Hi, 

 

I see 2 problems: 

 

1) It could be a problem if you want to have a home page with links to all instances of your shops. 

 

Like shop selector or linker to the shops, since there seems no option to achieve that

in MULTISTORE FEATURE. If you have completely independent shops , on diffrent URLs, 

then this will not be an issue for you. 

 

2) Also if you will use SHOP GROUPS (like: USA + CANADA + MEXICO is Group1 and SPAIN and PORTUGAL shop is Group 2)

so you will be able easily bulk manage the stores in those groups, there will be no SINGLE SIGN ON possibilty for shops in diffrent

groups. 

 

However, problem 1) is bigger for me. 

 

Robert