BigCommerce Multi-Storefront: All You Need to Know

This article will introduce you to the essentials of Multi-Storefront BigCommerce, showing you how it can be a game-changer for your ecommerce strategy.

Key Takeaways

• Multi StoreFront BigCommerce allows businesses to manage multiple stores from a single BigCommerce account.
• Pricing for Multi StoreFront BigCommerce depends on the number of storefronts. 

What is BigCommerce Multi StoreFront?

Multi StoreFront in BigCommerce is a feature that allows business owners to manage multiple stores from a single BigCommerce account. This means you can operate various storefronts for different product lines, customer groups, or markets, all through one centralized dashboard.

Key Features of BigCommerce Multi-Storefront

Easy Management of Multiple Stores

With BigCommerce Multi-Storefront, you can manage multiple stores from one place. This means you can easily update products, process orders, and check your inventory across all your multiple stores without switching between different systems. It simplifies your workflow and saves time.

Simple Setup Through WordPress

You can easily connect your BigCommerce account to multiple WordPress sites. This means you can use WordPress’s flexibility along with BigCommerce’s powerful ecommerce tools. To start, you only need to create API credentials in your BigCommerce dashboard.

Customizable API Access

When setting up your API account, BigCommerce lets you choose the access level for different features. For example, you can set permissions for products, orders, and customer data. This customization ensures you have control over each storefront’s specifics.

Tailored Customer Experiences

With a multi-storefront, you can create unique shopping experiences for different audiences. This could mean different product lines, pricing, or marketing strategies for each store. It’s about meeting your customers where they are, with what they need.

Streamlined Product Management

You can manage products across all your storefronts from a single dashboard. This saves time and reduces the chance of errors. Whether you’re adding new products or updating existing ones, the process is efficient and straightforward.

Diverse Marketing Tools

BigCommerce offers read-only access to marketing settings for each storefront. This means you can customize your marketing efforts for different audiences without compromising on consistency or brand messaging.

Secure Checkout and Payment Processes

You can modify checkout and payment settings for each storefront. This flexibility ensures a secure and tailored checkout experience for your customers, regardless of the storefront they’re purchasing from.

Secure and Scalable

BigCommerce is known for its security and reliability. Multi-Storefront maintains these standards, ensuring that all your multiple stores are secure. Additionally, it scales with your business, so as you grow, adding more storefronts or expanding existing ones is hassle-free.

BigCommerce MultiStorefront Pricing

BigCommerce MultiStorefront pricing is custom pricing. It depends on several factors, such as the number of stores you want to manage and the specific features you need for each storefront. The idea is to give you the flexibility to scale your business.

While specific numbers are hard to pin down without knowing your exact needs, here’s what you should consider:

• The more storefronts you add, the more your costs will likely increase.
• Customization and integration needs can also affect your final pricing.

The best way to get an accurate understanding of MultiStorefront pricing for your business is to contact BigCommerce directly. They can provide a tailored quote based on your specific requirements, including the number of storefronts, the level of customization you need, and any additional features or integrations.

Benefits of BigCommerce Multi-Storefront

• Easy to Manage: You can control multiple stores in one place. No need to switch between accounts. This makes updating products or prices quick and easy.
• Saves Time and Money: With everything under one roof, you spend less time on setup and management. This saves you both time and money, which is great for any business.
• Customized Shopping Experiences: You can create unique looks and feels for each storefront. This means you can match each store to its audience, making shopping more enjoyable for your customers. This can also enhance customer loyalty.
• Better for SEO: Each BigCommerce multi storefront can have its own SEO strategy. This helps people find your multiple stores more easily on search engines like Google. By having multiple storefronts, you increase the chances of ranking multiple locations with the same search query, resulting in more pages leading to your material and improved SEO productivity.
• Market Expansion: It’s easier to try selling to new markets or audiences. You can set up a new storefront to test the waters without risking your main store.
• Streamlined Operations: Inventory and orders are managed centrally. This simplifies how you handle stock and fulfill orders, making your business run smoother.

Limitations of BigCommerce Multi-Storefront

While BigCommerce Multi-Storefront offers significant advantages for businesses looking to expand their online presence, there are a few limitations to consider. Understanding these constraints can help you plan better and avoid surprises.

WordPress Dependency

One major limitation is the dependency on WordPress. To use the Multi-Storefront feature, your stores need to be hosted on WordPress. This means if your business doesn’t use WordPress or prefers another platform, you might find this feature less flexible.

First Store Disconnection Issue

When connecting your stores to BigCommerce using the provided application, the first WordPress website you connect may lose its link to BigCommerce. This requires careful planning and potentially manual reconnection to ensure all your stores stay linked and operational.

API Credentials Management

Setting up multiple storefronts requires managing separate API credentials for each. While this allows for customization and security, it can also add complexity to the setup process. You need to be comfortable navigating BigCommerce’s API accounts section and managing these credentials.

Limited Customization for OAuth Scopes

The customization of OAuth Scopes, which are permissions for your API accounts, follows a default selection pattern. Although modifications are possible, they are limited to the options provided by BigCommerce. This could restrict how finely you can tune the access and permissions for each storefront.

Who Should Use BigCommerce Multi-Storefront?

Here’s a brief look at who stands to benefit most from BigCommerce Multi-Storefront:

• Specialty Retailers: Businesses with diverse product lines, such as home decor or sporting goods, can create targeted storefronts for different customer preferences, enhancing the shopping experience and marketing effectiveness.
• Fashion Brands: Companies offering distinct clothing lines, like casual wear and formal attire, can use separate storefronts to tailor their marketing and product presentation to specific audiences.
• Age-Restricted Products: Sellers of tobacco, alcohol, or other regulated goods can manage legal compliance and marketing strategies more effectively by segregating their product offerings into appropriate storefronts.
• International Sellers: Businesses looking to cater to different international markets can customize storefronts to suit local languages, currencies, and cultural preferences, improving customer engagement.
• Subscription Services: Subscription-based businesses can benefit by managing different subscription options or tiers through dedicated storefronts, simplifying the customer’s selection process.

How to set up BigCommerce Multiple Storefronts

Step 1: Prepare Your BigCommerce and WordPress Accounts

To set up BigCommerce Multi Storefronts, you don’t need to install many BigCommerce apps. Here are all you need:

• BigCommerce: You should already have a BigCommerce account. If not, sign up and set up your store.
• WordPress: Similarly, ensure you have a WordPress account. Create one if necessary, as this integration requires access to your WordPress control panel.

Step 2: Navigate to API Accounts on BigCommerce

1. Log into your BigCommerce dashboard.
2. Go to Advanced Settings > API Accounts. You’ll see an interface for managing API accounts.

Step 3: Create a New API Account

1. Find and click the “Create API Account” button. This action brings up a pop-up screen for creating a new API account.
2. In the pop-up, enter a name for your API account. It’s recommended to use something clear and related to WordPress, like “WordPressIntegration” or simply “WordPress“.

3. Proceed to set up your OAuth Scopes based on your needs. A common setup for WordPress integration might look like this:
   • Customers: Modify
   • Orders: Read-Only
   • Products: Read-Only
   • Carts: Modify
   • Checkouts: Modify
   • (Set other scopes as necessary for your specific use case.)
4. Once you’ve configured the OAuth Scopes, click “Save” to create the account. 

BigCommerce will then provide you with API credentials, including a Client ID, Client Secret, and Access Token. Keep this information secure and accessible for the next steps.

Step 4: Connect BigCommerce to WordPress

1. Log into your WordPress account and access the control panel.
2. Look for a section or prompt that says “Enter your API credentials.” This is typically part of a BigCommerce plugin or integration module on WordPress.
3. Enter the API credentials (Client ID, Client Secret, and Access Token) that you obtained from BigCommerce.
4. Click “Connect using API credentials” to link your BigCommerce store with WordPress.

Step 5: Finalize and Test Your Integration

1. After connecting, you should see your BigCommerce products available within your WordPress site. You may now configure how these products are displayed and manage other e-commerce settings directly from WordPress.
2. Test the integration thoroughly by navigating your WordPress site as a customer would. Check product listings, add items to the cart, and go through the checkout process to ensure everything works seamlessly.

Important Notes

• If you plan to link more than one WordPress site to your BigCommerce store, remember that using the BigCommerce application for a streamlined connection might disconnect your previously linked sites. Use API credentials for a stable integration.
• Always back up your WordPress site before making significant changes, including integrations like this, to avoid data loss.

How to Manage Multi-storefront BigCommerce Effectively

Managing BigCommerce multiple stores can seem like a daunting task, but BigCommerce’s MultiStorefront feature is designed to simplify this process. Here’s how you can effectively manage multiple BigCommerce stores, explained in simple and straightforward terms.

Single Control Panel

One of the biggest advantages of using BigCommerce for multiple storefronts is the single control panel. With BigCommerce Multi-storefront, you can do all of the following tasks within only one control panel. Just build and manage multiple BigCommerce storefronts. No need to log in and out of different accounts. This saves time and reduces the hassle of managing multiple sites.

Product Management

You can easily list, update, and manage products across all your storefronts from the same dashboard. Whether you have separate product lines for each store or share inventory across them, BigCommerce makes it straightforward to keep your product listings accurate and up-to-date.

Customer Management

BigCommerce allows you to view and manage your customers across multiple stores in one location. This is especially useful for providing consistent customer service and understanding your customer base as a whole. You can track orders, manage returns, and communicate with customers efficiently.

Customization and Themes

Even though you’re managing multiple storefronts, each can have its own look and feel. BigCommerce offers customization options and themes that you can apply to individual storefronts. This helps in creating unique shopping experiences that cater to the specific audience of each store.

Analytics and Reporting

Understanding how your multiple stores are performing is key to growth. BigCommerce provides analytics and reporting tools that consolidate data from multiple stores. This means you can compare performance, track sales trends, and make informed decisions based on unified data. In short, you can easily keep track of storefront analytics and important data insights.

Read more: An Ultimate Guide To BigCommerce Analytics

Tips for Success

• Stay Organized: Use the control panel to keep track of inventory, orders, and customer service issues across multiple stores.
• Customize for Your Audience: Take advantage of customization options to tailor each store to its specific target market.
• Monitor Performance: Regularly review your analytics to understand what’s working and where there’s room for improvement.

FAQs: Multi-Storefront BigCommerce

Conclusion

Multi-Storefront BigCommerce offers a streamlined way to start managing BigCommerce multiple stores, making it easier than ever for business owners to expand their reach, cater to diverse customer needs, and grow their brands. With its centralized dashboard, customizable storefronts, and powerful analytics, it’s an all-encompassing solution for businesses looking to thrive in the competitive ecommerce landscape. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale up, understanding the capabilities of Multi-Storefront BigCommerce is the first step toward unlocking the full potential of your online presence.