Setting up or fixing multistore on PrestaShop
Enabling multistore on a shop that’s already live, or fixing an existing setup: sharing the catalogue, stock and modules between shops is configured shop by shop, never with one global switch. The trickiest part is enabling it retroactively, on data that already exists.
How multistore works in PrestaShop
Multistore is turned on from Preferences > General, with the “Enable multistore” option. Once active, the structure introduces a shop group, which can hold several individual shops, each with its own domain name and, if needed, its own theme.
What often surprises people: nothing is shared or separated globally by default. The catalogue, stock, installed modules and available carriers are each configured individually, at group or shop level. Two shops in the same group can therefore share the catalogue while keeping separate stock, or the other way round.
What I check before enabling multistore on a live shop
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Full backup
Database and files, before touching the shop structure at all.
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Mapping the existing catalogue
Which products and categories should stay shared, and which need to become specific to a new shop.
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Modules and carriers involved
Some modules don’t handle multistore natively and need checking one by one before the switch.
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Full test on a copy
Switching a copy of the shop first, to confirm catalogue, orders and customers all stay reachable before touching the live site.
Related pages
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Migrating PrestaShop from 1.6 to 1.7 or 8
Enabling multistore on a live shop shares much the same preparation requirements as a migration.
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Custom PrestaShop module development
For when a module in use doesn’t handle multistore properly and needs adapting.
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Bulk-importing products via CSV
Splitting or duplicating a catalogue across several shops often goes through a structured import.
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