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Hide distance until the visitor's location is known

A distance prefix or suffix can look broken when the dynamic value is empty. For example, a prefix of About and suffix of away becomes About away before the visitor supplies a location.

Keep the distance element hidden until the locator receives both latitude and longitude. When coordinates become available, display the complete value such as About 12 km away.

If the design provides an empty-state label, use a complete instruction such as:

Enter a location to see distance

Do not show 0 km, because that incorrectly claims the visitor is at the store.

Allow the visitor to provide a location​

Use at least one of these methods:

  • add a location field to the selected Search form;
  • provide a geolocation button;
  • enable Ask location on load in the locator's Map widget.

Browser geolocation requires HTTPS on normal public sites and can be denied. Denial should not prevent text search, categories, brands, or ordinary store browsing.

Decide whether to enable IP location fallback​

In the locator layout, select the Map widget and locate IP location fallback. When enabled, the plugin may use an external IP geolocation service to estimate a location after precise browser location is unavailable.

IP location is approximate and may identify the wrong city, especially on mobile networks, VPNs, or corporate connections. It also sends the visitor's IP address to the configured external provider. Enable it only after updating the site's privacy/consent information. Always let a visitor replace the approximate origin with an address or browser location.

For most sites, hiding distance and asking for a location provides a clearer and more privacy-conscious fallback.