WP Multisite Install and Plugin Behavior

[admin]

Some users mis-understand how WP Multi-site actually works and how plugins behave in a standard WordPress Multisite install. So I will give you a quick run down to make sure we are both on the same page.

WP multi-site doesn’t actually mean that you have one install of the plugin on your main site and every single site on this network shares the data from this main site. Yes, you have one copy of the plugin but each site still works as if they were completely separate install of WordPress with separate copy of the plugins. One of the best examples of multi-site is WordPress.com. Each user have their own blog on WordPress.com and is using the same plugin that is used by every other blog on that network, but the changes you make on your blog does not affect any other user’s site. This article is also a good read:

http://www.tipsandtricks-hq.com/what-exactly-is-wordpress-multisite-wpms-install-4284

There are limitations when trying to go across one install of WP into another one but here is one example that may come in handy if you want to present various information on different WP installs but process the checkout via ONE site.

Lets say you have 2 sites under your WP Multisite network and you want to sell both these products via one eStore

1) product1.example.com (landing page for product 1)

2) product2.example.com (landing page for product 2)

You can create a 3rd site in this network called “checkout.example.com” or “store.example.com” where you install WP eStore and configure both of these products. Now from the landing pages of product 1 and product 2 you simply link the buy button to go to the “checkout.example.com” site and the item gets added to the cart there. The customer can then checkout and make payment from that site.

The following tutorial will show you how to link a buy button from your landing page:

https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/estore-how-to-use-a-text-link-to-accommodate-the-purchase-of-a-product

[Ivy]

Here is another scenario/option for selling products and memberships from different sites but feeding traffic from a main site.

Example Scenario:

– Main site (The main site where you have the landing page and have the traffic).

– Site A (One of your product/membership sites for product A)

– Site B (One of your product/membership sites for product

– Site C (One of your product/membership sites for product C)

How it works

Main Site – The main site will be used to direct the traffic/customers to the sites with your products/memberships you have for sale. This site doesn’t have the eStore or eMember plugins installed.

Product Sites – These are the sites your customer will be redirected to so they can buy the product. These sites have the eStore and eMember plugins installed.

Setup Steps

Main Site Setup:

Step 1) Create the product landing page(s) as usual. Now use eStore’s purchase link feature to accommodate the sale of a product via the corresponding site.

You can read more about this feature and how it works here: https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/estore-how-to-use-a-text-link-to-accommodate-the-purchase-of-a-product

Step 2) So on the landing page of your Product A use a link like the following to sell the product/membership:

[http://www.your-site-for-product-a.com/?wp_eStore_buy_now=1]

Step 3) Do step 1 and 2 for all the other products.

Basically, you are selling the product via your products site (where eStore is install) but the customer/user is reading the landing page on your main site.

Product Site Setup:

Step 1) Install the eStore plugin and the extra eStore Shortcodes addon on each sites. You can get the Extra Shortcodes Plugin here:

https://www.tipsandtricks-hq.com/ecommerce/wp-estore-shortcodes-and-functions-reference-460

Note: If you are selling membership then also install the WP eMember plugin on the products sites and configure them.

Step 2) Configure the eStore plugin as usual.

When using the “Buy Now” text link the following will happen.

When a customer clicks the “Buy Now Button” text link from your main site, they will be taken directly to PayPal via the product site and the customer will be able to buy the corresponding product.

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