Store Locator Plus Location Imports troubleshooting

On  June 11, 2018  Google changed their API.  There is now a pay as you go billing requirement. You  will need to reconsider how to import, how often to import , and whether to break the list into smaller chunks , or skip geocoding.  (Or switch to the MYSLP SaaS managed service and choose the Professional or  Enterprise level plan ( restrictions apply) .

In order to perform bulk location imports with a CSV file for the WPSLP plugin you will need the Power add-on installed.  WPSLP Power add-on does not alleviate the need for you to obtain your own Google API key.  MySLP  SaaS users  do not need to obtain their own API keys but will need the Professional level plan or higher to import.

Q: I am receiving error messages and something isn’t working the way it used to, what is wrong?

The most common issue is that there were updates in Store Locator Plus, WordPress, a non-Store Locator Plus plugin, or your theme that may be interacting with and breaking Store Locator Plus.

Update Your Store Locator Plus Add Ons

The first step should always be to check the Store Locator Plus versions page and make sure you are running the latest version of your Store Locator Plus plugins.   There is often a free upgrade to a newer version of a Store Locator Plus add on that works with the current release of the base plugin.

Q: Some of the Map Markers are not where I know they should be how do I fix this?

When a location is added into your SLP data set, you will see a message “Store Locator Plus wants you to know:”  and the output of the Latitude and Longitude where Google thinks the location is.

For Example, I added Sydney Opera House and no street address, just name, the city and the country Australia:

“Google thinks Sydney Australia is at lat: -33.8674869 long 151.2069902”

Map Not Showing

You activated the Store Locator Plus base plug-in and followed all the instructions but when you visit your locator page no map is there.

Here are some common reasons why the map will not appear:

Did you obtain a Google MAP API key?

As of June 22, 2016 Google requires all new domains, sites to obtain a key.  There are many options based on how often your locations are queried. There are instructions in the SLP documentation site , in the SLP User Interface under INFO.  See Getting Started Guide.  More recently, 2018, Google has introduced security measures requiring SSL certification (HTTPS)  for sites that may want the search to locate their customers location. (Location Sensor)

Results not showing all locations

Q: I have 20 locations filled in on the back end, but only 5 show up on the front end. What am I missing?

A: Establishing various parameters in the settings under the Settings/Search and under the Settings/ Results tab in your SLP User interface will effect how your results are displayed. Setting the Results radius to a large enough number to include all locations is paramount to achieve best results.

Getting Started , Results Settings and Search settings are also explained in the Documentation. You can search by keyword or click on the menu sidebar.

Q: Can a store or location have more than one category assigned to it?

Can the stores be categorized by more than one taxonomy? Not multiple tags in a single taxonomy, but multiple tags from multiple taxonomies?

A: Stores only have one categorization class – the store page taxonomy.
However, WordPress Taxonomies are hierarchical. Therefore, you are able to assign all the attributes you need to your locations and use the parents of the branches to drive the user experience. The Power add-on has several UX components such as “drill down” menus that allow users to select a specific category by selecting a parent first then a child.