I am interested in your Virtuemart Multi Vendor, Multi store plugin for a Main site and a bunch of franchise websites. Here are some initial questions:
Is there a way to give franchise owners access to their own stores without giving them admin access to the parent site?
Yes, our extension provide this access from front end. Please see "Multi Vendor Front end Store Management Links" section at https://codingmall.com/faq/7-joomla-products/151-virtuemart-multi-vendor-configuration-a-settings
Will orders and reporting be separated by store?
Yes.
Can all stores function under a single SSL?
It depends on your front end store url. Do your stores share a single domain name with different sub folders? or sub domains? or separate domains?
How do payments work with multiple stores? Do they go to the franchise owners or to the parent (Host Joomla site) company?
This can be configured in extension as per your requirement. Payments can either be received by the main website owner or can be sent directly to each front end store owner.
Is here a demo for this extension?
No. Our Virtuemart Multi Vendor plugin is a big extension with a lot of different ways to configure. We offer a free, fully functional trial with full support. This is great for you to explore our extension without spending a single penny.