Multi-store

Go to System → Settings → Store

1 What you can do with multi-store
2 How it works
3 Choose how customers reach the additional store
4 Step 1: Set up the domain in your hosting
- 4.1 Example: subdomain setup
- 4.2 Common problems at this step
5 Step 2: Create the store in AbanteCart admin
6 Delete a store

AbanteCart can run several stores from a single installation. Multi-store lets each store have its own theme, extensions, content, and localization, while you manage them all from one back office. For example, you could run two stores selling entirely different products, or aimed at two different audiences, all from one installation.

What you can do with multi-store

manage all stores from one back office
use a different template on each store
display different products and categories on each storefront
display different blocks, banners, and layout on each storefront
localize each store with its own default language and currency
set different shipping and payment methods per store

How it works

All your stores share one AbanteCart installation and one set of files. Adding a store only creates a new store record with its own URL and settings. You never install AbanteCart again, and you never create files, copy files, or clone the installation on the server, no matter which of the URL options below you choose.

Choose how customers reach the additional store

Decide this before you create the store. There are three options for the store URL:

A path below your primary domain, for example https://example.com/cars/. This is the easiest option. The cars segment is a virtual path handled by AbanteCart; there is no real cars folder on the server. It needs no new domain and no hosting setup at all, so you can skip Step 1 below. This is also what the Store URL field's help text means by "Don't use directories to create a new store": it refers to physical server directories, not to the virtual path in the URL.
A subdomain of your primary domain, for example https://cars.example.com/. You create the subdomain in your hosting and point it to the same document root as the main store (Step 1).
A separate domain, for example https://www.carsdomain.com/. You add the domain in your hosting and point it to the same document root as the main store (Step 1).

Subdomains and the www prefix

When you use subdomains, the default store should use the www prefix (for example www.example.com), and each additional store should use a bare subdomain without www (for example cars.example.com). If the default store is set to a bare domain.com, it behaves as a wildcard *.domain.com, and other stores cannot use a subdomain of that domain.

Step 1: Set up the domain in your hosting

This step applies only when the additional store uses a subdomain or a separate domain. Skip it entirely if your store uses a path below the main domain.

This step is not AbanteCart related. If you run into problems, contact your hosting provider's support to help you set up the new domain or subdomain.

The new subdomain or domain must be routed to the same folder as your main store. In cPanel there are two common ways to do this: a subdomain or an addon domain.

Example: subdomain setup

In your cPanel, click the Subdomains icon.

Create a subdomain. The Document Root must be the same as the default domain.

If AbanteCart is installed in a subfolder rather than the root folder:

Make sure the Document Root is still the same after the subdomain is created.

Important

The Document Root value must be the same as the main domain. If AbanteCart is installed in a folder, for example /public_html/shop/, the new subdomain root must use the same path.

Common problems at this step

due to DNS propagation, a new subdomain can take 24 hours or more to start working
the subdomain is not linked to the path where the default store was installed; the Document Root must match between the default store and the new domain or subdomain
a redirect has been set up for the new subdomain or domain
the browser cache and the local DNS cache may need to be cleared to resolve new or reconfigured domains and subdomains
settings in the .htaccess file or a file permissions issue prevent the store from working correctly

Contact your hosting provider to confirm your domain or subdomain is configured correctly.

Step 2: Create the store in AbanteCart admin

This step applies to all three URL options. In the AbanteCart admin, go to System → Settings and click the New Store button.

You will be taken to a new screen with the following fields:

Store Status: turn it on to enable the store. New stores are enabled by default. When the status is off, visitors are directed to the default store.
Store Name: the name of your store or business, between 3 and 32 characters.
Name Alias: an alias used to identify the store. If left blank, it is generated from a shortened store name.
Welcome Message: the welcome text shown on the storefront.
Store URL: the full URL to your store. Make sure to add / at the end. Example: https://example.com/cars/ or https://cars.example.com/
Secure Store URL: the full HTTPS URL to your store, also ending with /.
Copy Settings: optionally copy all settings from an existing store as a starting point.

After you save, AbanteCart opens the full store Settings page, where you can set the Title, Meta Tag Description, Template, Country, Region / State, default Language, and the other store details.

Delete a store

In the AbanteCart admin, go to System → Settings, select the store in the Edit Settings drop-down, and click the Edit Store button.

A trash bin icon appears. Click it to completely remove the store.

The default store cannot be deleted. A store that has orders assigned to it also cannot be deleted; AbanteCart shows a warning with the number of orders that still reference the store.