multiple stores, single cart?

[djwood]

:unsure:

I certainly can't be the first that asked about this...

 

Is there a module or contribution that someone has done to integrate a mall type situation WITH A SINGLE CART? Now, I'm sure there would be issues with cookies across multiple domains, but what if it was mystore.com/productlineA and mystore.com/productlineB (same domain, but different subdirectories, and in those subdirectories are different stores with different products, but all use the same cart).

 

The final point that should put it in perspective, is that I've seen the mall modules, but it doesn't talk about a single cart.. Clearly if it was like a real mall, you'd have separate carts and separate checkouts, but in this case, I'm thinking more like Department store, with a single cart, but say 2 or 3 sets of completely separate products, that ONLY SHOW UP IN THAT STORE, and not set up as 3 sub categories or something.. I guess it would be like 3 iterations or installs of oscommerce's catalog directory, but run out of 1 admin database, but with one cart? Maybe it's possible to turn off certain subcategories in certain subdirectories? I'm looking for some direction here..

 

Any ideas on how to do this, or if there is a plug-in/module/contribution that already addresses this?

[Guest]

I am thinking about something like this as well... a store with different departments, however, each department has it's own style and logo. I would need to customize the catalog and cart pages differently for each 'department': different logo, differnet stylesheet.

 

I'm looking at the virtual mall contribution, but haven't got far into it yet. Is there documentation on it around?

 

Mike Garrett

[TheFinnisher]

I am also looking into doing something alike. I'm still doing reading and research to figure out if this is a feasible solution. One of my main problems right now is even if I managed to set-up the system properly, how would payment processing work. If a customer ordered two different products from two different stores...how would one process this purchase? and how would the separate store owners be notified of shipping?

 

Just some thoughts...

[Geotex]

you might want to look at http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contri...ns,1730/page,18

[fifthnail]

Think about it this way. Using your productlineA, productlineB method. You install osCommerce a few different times in directories structured like this:

 

root/homepage.html

root/catalog/store1_index.php

root/calalog/productlineA/store1_index.php

root/catalog/productlineB/store2_index.php

 

Set all the cookies in each installation using config.php, to point to the root.php. This means the guest or whomever can continue their shopping cart from store to store like normal. When a user is finished shopping and wants to check out you send them back to store1_index.php.

 

The only trick is, you disable the ability for a separate store manager to edit shipping etc, in each additional version of osCommerce you install. As the Mall Manager, or whatever, you set shipping prices. If you are collecting the money you must, in turn be responsible for making sure the product gets delivered correctly from wherever that might be.

 

-------------------------------------

 

Now if you don't want to do the Mall-thing, you have the ability to do a little bit of database work. To make an entirely seemless approach to a store from with multiple vendors you will need to install only half of osCommerce into the directory structure as i mentioned before.

 

You would need only the ADMIN folder for productlineA, productlineB, etc. They would all be dumping information in to the same product table inside the database. You would have to do a little programming: You would need to lock out any control of the manufaturer and only give them themselves as the only option. That way they can only add products under their manufaturer name.

 

You would also need to program category results for editing only their products. This gets a little tricky, but it works. I wish I could show you but it's all in my head for right now.

 

 

IF ANYONE WANTS TO HELP ME MAKE THIS CONTRIBUTION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW.