How to Set up WooCommerce Multisite?
Have the need to manage multiple WooCommerce websites? Manage them all from one admin with WooCommerce Multisite, learn how to set it up.
The world of eCommerce can be a complex one, especially if you’re just getting into it and have to run multiple stores all of which have different products with different target groups.
A multisite setup is a setup where you can manage multiple websites on a single host and by using a single user interface.
A setup like this basically allows you to manage your websites all at once, any plugin you install, any theme you might want to add to each of them and so on, you’ll always remain up to date and always know what’s going on on all of your website at a glance.
The Advantages of a Multisite:
- Lower costs on hosts
- Better security
- Easy Management
- Easy plugin integration across all of the websites
- Better analytics
- Easy updates
- Have network-wide updates
- Have network-wide chatbots and live chat tools
How to Properly Set up a Multisite
Before we begin setting up WooCommerce on our website, we need to configure a multisite.
Make sure to install WordPress first.
Next, configure all of your permalinks.
Deactivate all of your plugins and have FTP access to your WordPress installation.
Remember: always make a backup of your WordPress website before attempting to make any drastic changes to it, so if anything were to go wrong during this setup you can simply jump back in where you started.
Configure wp-config.php
In order to access the settings for the multisite, you first need to configure the file wp-config.php
Start by setting up an FTP connection to your website.
Next, open the file which is located within the main directory and find the line
/* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */
above it, add the following line of code:
define(‘WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE’, true);
Click on save.
Install a WordPress Network
On the left side of your main dashboard, you should see a tab called Tools.
Click on Tools and select the menu tab Network Setup.
This is where you can configure your WordPress Multisite.
Now you are faced with the first decision:
Do you want the websites to be subdomains, as in site2.something.com
Do you want the websites to be in subfolders, as in something.com/site2
Do you need them to be mapped to a top-level domain?
Important: You need to make this decision now, and as this decision affects all of the websites, it cannot be changed later.
Implement Code Within the wp-config.php File
Start this process by setting up an FTP connection to the WordPress website.
Find the code
/* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */
Add the following code to the wp-config.php file above the code
define(‘MULTISITE’, true);
define(‘SUBDOMAIN_INSTALL’, true);
define(‘DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE’, ‘My Website’);
define(‘PATH_CURRENT_SITE’, ‘/’);
define(‘SITE_ID_CURRENT_SITE’, 1);
define(‘BLOG_ID_CURRENT_SITE’, 1);
Implement Code Within The .htaccess File
Start this process by setting up an FTP connection to the WordPress website.
Add these lines of code to the .htaccess file in order to replace the other WordPress rules.
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ – [L]
# add a trailing slash to /wp-admin
RewriteRule ^wp-admin$ wp-admin/ [R=301,L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -f [OR]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -d
RewriteRule ^ – [L]
RewriteRule ^(wp-(content|admin|includes).*) $1 [L]
RewriteRule ^(.*\.php)$ $1 [L]
RewriteRule . index.php [L]
That’s it, you have successfully converted your WordPress installation into a multisite.
How to Set up WooCommerce on a Multisite
Why a multisite is useful for eCommerce?
When you enable eCommerce functionality to a website, it can get complicated to manage.
You need to keep track of:
- Orders
- Users
- Purchases
- Feedback
- Stock
- A multisite can help you manage all of this from one central hub.
It enables you to set up multiple stores with a single installation, and you can create a single main store where you separate it into multiple categories, all within its own subdomain and catalog.
Important: Make sure your hosting plan has fast servers, as that will play a huge role within the customer experience.
Once you have enabled multisite functionality to your WordPress installation, the next step is installing WooCommerce.
How to Install WooCommerce on Your Network
First, add some websites to your network.
Every single one of these pages should now have a clean WordPress installation.
To enable eCommerce functionality to these websites, add the WooCommerce plugin.
Make sure to add the plugin at a network level.
This will allow you to install and activate that plugin across all of the pages at once, saving you a lot of time and hassle.
Configure WooCommerce and Add Products
Start by going to any website of your choosing.
To do this, visit Sites > All Sites.
Through the WooCommerce onboarding wizard, make all of your configurations as per preference, this wizard makes everything extremely intuitive.
Once you’re done with that, you can add products by visiting Products > Add New Tab.
Things to Keep in Mind When Using WooCommerce on a Multisite
When you register a product on one website, it will not be available throughout the entire network, but only on the website, you’ve specified.
When your stores are configured as a multisite, the network will not share user registrations.
The only way WooCommerce can be updated is through the network level.
You don’t have to activate WooCommerce on every single website.
Why It’s Convenient
A WooCommerce multisite setup is a great way to experience the world of eCommerce and to organize everything.
It allows you to set up things on a network level, so whenever you decide to make some changes, they will carry across all of the websites at once.
You can also run everything from one host and domain name, which can reduce costs tremendously.
In case you find this setting up WooCommerce cumbersome, use a timeline maker to break down the whole process into measurable steps and start executing them one by one.
A multisite is the perfect way to configure, run and manage an eCommerce business and is the perfect starting point for someone who’s just getting into eCommerce as well as a good future plan for anyone hoping to set up plenty of online stores in the future, as the management will always remain simple and intuitive.
Georgi Todorov is a digital marketer, specializing in Outreach strategies, International SEO and Influencer Marketing. He recently started his own blog about digital marketing called DigitalNovas and joined GetVoIP to provide his marketing expertise.
