The process of creating a hosted store is as follows:
- The reseller registers with your store as a customer in the store.
This step registers the reseller organization and a reseller representative with your store. - The reseller requests a hosted store. The request for a hosted store is submitted through an online form available in your store. Submitting the request for a hosted store sends an email to the person in your organization responsible for the creation and management of hosted stores. In WebSphere Commerce, the person in your organization responsible for the creation and management of hosted stores is called a Channel Manager.
- The Channel Manager creates a service agreement for the reseller in XML format.
- The Channel Manager creates a new hosted store by
importing the reseller service agreement XML file into WebSphere
Commerce.
Importing the reseller service agreement XML file does two things: the XML
file is uploaded to the WebSphere Commerce Server and the reseller hosted
service agreement is deployed. Deployment of the reseller service agreement
creates a hosted store for the reseller. If the deployment of the reseller
service agreement fails, the Channel Manager can try to redeploy the reseller
service agreement.
Important: WebSphere Commerce Payments must be running before you create a new hosted store. See the WebSphere Commerce Administration Guide for information on starting and stopping WebSphere Commerce Payments.
- The Channel Manager sends the reseller an e-mail indicating that the hosted store has been created and the reseller can now access the store.
If the newly deployed hosted store is created in Closed state, the reseller has access to the store but customers do not. While the store is closed, the reseller can add a logo to the hosted store pages, choose products to sell in the hosted store, add products to sell in the hosted store, and change or adjust prices on the products. The Channel Manager must next change the store state to Resume so that the reseller can open the store.