Branch and Franchise Ordering

A company can represent branches or franchise locations as sublogins under one Magento customer account. This works when the parent organization should own the commercial account and each location needs a separate login and delivery context.

Decide whether one parent account is appropriate

Use this model when locations may share the parent customer's commercial identity. If every franchise must be a legally and financially independent customer, create separate Magento customer accounts instead.

Example layout

Northstar Service Network
├── Düsseldorf Branch
│   ├── Branch Manager
│   └── Buyer
└── Essen Branch
    ├── Branch Manager
    └── Buyer

Groups and nested relationships require the Role add-on. The base package itself attaches sublogins directly to the main customer.

Configure one location first

Add the location's approved shipping address to the parent account.
Create one branch buyer and assign only that address.
Restrict payment or shipping methods if the branch has a different fulfillment policy.
Test order visibility. Keep own-order view enabled unless cross-location visibility is required.
Add a location catalog or budget only after checkout succeeds.
If a branch manager approves orders, add Role and Order Approval and test the group path.

Reporting boundary

Sublogin reports can attribute orders and products to buyers within the shared customer account. They are not a statutory consolidation or franchise accounting system. Use the order's sublogin identity as an integration input if downstream systems need location reporting.