Virtuemart 2 & Virtuemart Marketplace MultiVendor - Private Shop?

[edwardcox]

Hello All, I have searched the Forum quite thoroughly and found no suitable solutions (please correct me if I am wrong.)
I am using VM as a solution to allow Customers AND Suppliers access to the Shop. However, Customers (who register prior to Shopping from multivendors) are by default assigned as "Registered" users in that Group. And with Suppliers, who access the store by a special Registration/Login as a part of VM Marketplace MultiVendor, are ALSO assigned as "Registered" users in that Group.

My problem is that I need them in separate Groups so that I can control them. Customers - ONLY seeing the Shop as per normal, and Suppliers NOT seeing the Shop but only their Supplier based Menus/Menu Items which allow for Add Products etc etc.

Is that question clear?

What I want/need to achieve is a "Closed Access" Shop, where Customers register to gain viewing access, select products from any/all Vendors, and can purchase etc. as per normal VM. And then I need Suppliers to be able to Register/Login via WEBKUL Joomla Virtuemart Multi Vendor Marketplace, and they can see their Products, add Products etc.

I have asked Webkul nicely - and they would love to help if I pay them more money. Hmmm, that's their prerogative and out of my budget.

Surely I'm not the first to attempt something like this in Virtuemart? Can some kind soul please point me to an active Forum Thread on this topic, or suggest a working solution that we can all share the benefits from?

Thank you kindly in advance for your time, consideration, and constructive input.

Edward.