Is the “Multi store” the right strategy?

Question

I've a Magento CE 1.7 install with 1 website, 1 store and 2 storeviews (fr/en).

In a closed futur, I'll have to deal with a partner who sells our products on his website (part of our catalog). I need to find the correct organization strategy for working with him. The products information exchange is already organized (through product export). We have also plane to retrieve the partner orders into our Magento with an "order creation process" using REST Api.

Now, the point is: we want to separate the order from our Partner. I think the best way is to associate the partner's orders with a specific store (and storeviews). Thus, we can deal with order starting with specific number (related to each storeview of the "Partner store").

BUT, there is one problem. I'll create a new store, then 2 storeviews for it (partner_fr, partner_de). For the order created on the Partner store > Partner_de view, the products catalog data will stay the default ones (french in my case). It is a problem because the transactionnal emails will includes the product name and product description that are reliables to the storeview! I don't want to define a 2nd time the product name/description for the partner_de view because it has been already done for the default_de view.

My 2 questions: 1) Is it the correct strategy? 2) If yes, it mean i'll have to modify all my product import/update process to make product translation available for the partner_de view. 2.1) Is there a possibility to "duplicate" a storeview?

Answer 1

After some investigations and contact with partners, I can answer my own question. Maybe it could help someone.

1) Is it the correct strategy? Yes, it is. Because we need to separate orders generated by each partner. With this configuration, I'm able to identify the Partner1 orders from Partner2 orders. Then, one storeview is required by language. It produce better separation for orders from each Partner (separation between Partner1_fr orders from Partner1_de orders). A good thing is that each order number will be construct with the Partner storeview ID at first digit.

2) Yes, it should be. For my case, I don't need it because I'll not have to handle direct customer communication. So there is no configuration / product content related to storeview required to be up to date at each update from the "main" storeview.

2.1) I've found one. But I've also found a better extension that help to deal with "synchronisation" instead of "copying".

Answer 2

I don't know if I understand your question well, but here's a try:

Option 1: The partner site is completely separate, different installation, different database. You can use a dropshipping module to pass orders through to your webshop which handles the shipping, with invoice and all like coming from the partner.

Option 2: The shop is part of your magento shop. In that case it's just another shop, you can share the catalog, or part of it, use translations etc. It can be as separate as you like, even with completely different catalogs.

You want to use one database, one admin, to keep things in one place. Say you sell shoes and computers, having one admin means one overview of all sales, one login even though there is no overlap. It's cheaper when you have to buy a module - you only need one license.