Would you like to speed up address entry at your checkout? Merchant Pro integrates with Google’s address autocomplete feature, known as Place Autocomplete, so the address fields fill in faster and with fewer errors as customers type.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to set up the Google Address Autocomplete module in Merchant Pro.
Before you get started, make sure you’ve installed and activated the Merchant plugin on your WordPress site. If you’re using premium modules, ensure you have Merchant Pro installed and active. This feature requires Merchant Pro.
You’ll also need a Google Places API key, generated from the Google Cloud Platform (you’ll need to sign up for an account). The Google Maps Platform is a paid service, but you get $200 of free credit each month. Pricing depends on the number of requests your customers make. For example, 1,000 requests cost $2.83 per month, and the first $200 each month is free.
1. Create a Google Places API key
To enable the API and get your key, follow the Place Autocomplete tutorial on Google Developers. Here are the main steps. In your Google Cloud Console account, create a new project:
Select your new project from the dropdown in the top-left corner of the screen. API keys belong to projects, so if you change the project, you’ll need a new API key. Then click the Sign Up To Get An API Key button:
If you don’t have a Google Cloud billing account yet, create one on the next screen. You’ll need to verify your card, but you won’t be charged until you manually upgrade to a paid account:
Once your card is verified, go to the Credentials page to generate an API key for your project. The video below shows how to generate and restrict an API key for the Google Maps Platform:
2. Activate the Google Address Autocomplete module
In your WordPress admin area, click the Merchant menu item to open the modules page. Scroll down, find the Google Address Autocomplete module, click it, and then click the blue Enable button.
3. Enter your Google Places API key
Under Settings, enter the Google Places API key you generated in Step 1, then click the Save button in the top right:
To add any optional parameters, enter them in the Optional API URL Parameters field. This field isn’t required, and the module works perfectly without it. From now on, the address fields on your checkout page will autocomplete using the Google Places API.
Video walkthrough
For a live demo of the Google Address Autocomplete module, watch the video below:
Frequently asked questions
Below, we’ve answered some of the most common questions about the Google Address Autocomplete module.
Is the Google Places API free?
The Google Maps Platform is a paid service, but it includes $200 of free credit each month. For many stores, that covers typical usage at no cost.
Do I need a credit card to get an API key?
Yes. You need to verify a card to create a Google Cloud billing account, but you won’t be charged until you manually upgrade to a paid account.
That’s it! You’ve successfully set up the Google Address Autocomplete module in Merchant Pro for faster, more accurate checkout addresses.
Next, would you like to redesign the rest of your checkout? Check out our guide on the Checkouts module to learn more.
