Mastering PrestaShop: Essential Store Management Guide

David Davis · 2026-01-22

If you're preparing for the BTS NDRC E5B exam, you know the technical evaluation can feel overwhelming. The second block focuses entirely on manipulating your PrestaShop store—and there's a lot to cover. Let's break it down so you can approach it with confidence. You'll need to manage your time carefully across three main question blocks during that 40-minute exam. You've got roughly 13 minutes to handle all the store manipulation tasks we're discussing here. That's your chance to secure 6 to 7 of the 20 total points. The pressure's on, but with the right preparation, you can absolutely nail it. The other two blocks you'll encounter are product sheet creation/modification and customer service request handling. Today, we're focusing on what happens inside the store itself. This guide also touches on important conceptual aspects, like e-shop legality, which complements your preparation for the written E5A exam. ### Understanding the Evaluation Framework First things first—the evaluation criteria aren't random. They're defined by an academic circular that gets updated annually. The latest version from 2025 outlines exactly what you need to know. Think of it as your roadmap to success. Now, your store's interface might look slightly different from what you see here. That's because I'm using a multilingual CMS version where some labels might remain in English. Don't let that throw you off—the core functions are the same. ### Appearance and Content Management This is where you'll spend significant time during the exam. You need to know how to handle everything from homepage block displays to product organization. Let's walk through the key areas. For appearance, you'll be tested on: - Displaying blocks on the homepage - Moving and positioning elements - Showing popular products and new arrivals - Managing link lists and widgets It's not just about making things look pretty—it's about creating a functional shopping experience. You'll learn how to reposition blocks relative to each other and configure navigation blocks effectively. Content management covers even more ground. You'll need to: - Create categories and subcategories - Handle product packs (though we'll cover that separately) - Set up brands and suppliers - Manage customer groups - Control inventory and stock levels One student I worked with described it perfectly: "It's like learning the anatomy of a store—every piece has to work together." ### Navigation and Display Essentials PrestaShop comes with two pre-installed themes in version 9, and you'll need to understand both. Navigation isn't just about menus—it's about guiding customers through their journey. You'll configure how products appear, how special offers are highlighted, and how your store information is presented. This includes: - Product display settings - Promotion and offer visibility - Company information placement ### Managing Your Store Resources This is the backend work that keeps everything running smoothly. You'll handle customer profiles, delivery settings, brand management, and internal user roles. Each element requires careful attention to detail. Remember those customer service requests we mentioned earlier? While they're part of a different exam block, understanding your resources helps you handle them better when they come up. ### Putting It All Together With approximately 4,300 words of material to cover and 18-27 minutes of reading time, this might seem daunting. But here's the secret—you don't need to memorize every single step. You need to understand the logic behind the system. Focus on the relationships between different store elements. How does changing a category affect product displays? What happens when you modify user roles? These connections are what the exam really tests. Take it section by section. Practice moving blocks around until it feels natural. Experiment with display settings to see immediate results. The more hands-on experience you get before the exam, the more instinctive your responses will be during those crucial 13 minutes. You've got this. With focused practice and a clear understanding of how PrestaShop's pieces fit together, you'll walk into that exam ready to handle whatever store manipulation tasks come your way.