English Deutsch Français

Manage locations - with Google connection

  • Updated

In the section Location management, you can add and manage information for one or more of your business locations in your cockpit. Each location can then be assigned to a pickup option in order to allow your customers to pick up their order in your store instead of having it shipped to them. Furthermore, you can connect your locations to the Business Profiles in your Google Account, so you can easily manage all of your business location information in one place without having to leave your cockpit. If you are not yet familiar with Google Business Profiles and how your business can benefit from a Business Profile, you can learn more here.

Note

In this article, you will learn how to manage locations with a Google connection. If you would like to manage your locations without a Google connection, please read the article Manage locations - without Google connection instead.

Skip to:

First steps

Your first steps depend on your current Google Business Profile and location management setup:

Get started by importing one or more locations from Google

To get started by importing one or more locations that already have a Google Business Profile, this is what you'll need to do:

  1. In the sidebar of the cockpit, navigate to Settings > Locations.
  2. Select Import location(s) from Google. A new window opens. Please note that you may not be able to see this window if you use a pop-up blocker.
  3. Select your Google Account or log in.
  4. Allow access.

After your locations have been successfully imported, you can manage them in your cockpit and any changes you make to a location will be automatically synchronised with its Google Business Profile. Furthermore, you can now assign each location to a pickup option.

If your locations were not successfully imported, you can find more information below under Troubleshooting.

Get started by adding one or more locations manually to your cockpit

If you are sure that no Google Business Profiles exist for your business location(s) and you would like for your locations to be represented on Google, you can get started by adding them manually in your cockpit. Afterwards, you can connect them to Google.

To add locations to your cockpit manually, this is what you'll need to do:

  1. In the sidebar of the cockpit, navigate to Settings > Locations.
  2. Select Add your first location.
  3. Add a shop code for this location. The shop code is an internal identifier that is needed to sync a location to your Google Business Profile. It is only visible in your Business Profile dashboard and needs to be different for each location. You can use letters and numbers in a shop code, for example: GOOG1.
  4. For your convenience, the company name and address from your cockpit's account settings will be used to prefill the business name and address fields. Review the information, add information, and make changes as needed. If you would like to add opening hours for the location and need help with that, refer to step 4 of the section Update a location's opening hours.

    Note

    Your business name should be your real-world business name known by your customers and should not include location-specific information, marketing USPs, or anything else that is not part of your business name. If you add a pickup option for this location later, the business name will be displayed as this location’s name in the checkout. After you connect to Google, it will be displayed across Google Search and Maps.
    You can always change a location’s business name in your cockpit later by editing the location.
  5. Add a primary category. Optionally, you can add additional categories.

    Note

    Your primary category describes the core business of this location. Additional categories can be used to better inform your customers about other departments or services within this location. After you connect to Google, your primary category and any additional categories will be displayed on your Google Business Profile. Learn more about categories for Google Business Profiles here.
    You can always change a location’s category in your cockpit later by editing the location.
  6. Select Save location.

The location has been added to your cockpit. Optionally, you can now add another location by selecting Add location in the upper right corner. If you do not want to add further locations, it's time to connect to Google. This is what you'll need to do:

  1. On the Connect to Google card, select Connect locations to Google.
  2. Select your Google Account or log in. If you don't have a Google Account yet, create a new one.
  3. Allow access.

You have connected your locations to Google and the location information in your cockpit has been synchronised with Google, adding Google Business Profiles for your locations. The locations in your cockpit now have additional Google Business Profile cards with information about each profile's status. Learn more about the different statuses under Google Business Profile statuses. Optionally, you can now also assign each location to a pickup option.

Get started by connecting to Google

If you have already added one or more locations to your cockpit, you can connect them to Google. This is what you'll need to do:

  1. In the sidebar of the cockpit, navigate to Settings > Locations.
  2. On the Connect to Google card, select Connect locations to Google.
  3. Select your Google Account or log in. If you don't have a Google Account yet, create a new one.
  4. Allow access.

You have connected your locations to Google and the location information in your cockpit has been synchronised with Google. The locations in your cockpit now have additional Google Business Profile cards with information about each profile's status. Learn more about the different statuses under Google Business Profile statuses. Optionally, you can now also assign the locations to pickup options.

If you are facing any issues when connecting your locations to Google, you can find more information below under Troubleshooting.

Manage your locations

After you have added or imported your locations, you can manage your location information (such as location name and address, business phone number, or opening hours) directly in your cockpit. You also have the option to remove locations from your cockpit or add additional ones.

Skip to:

Add another location after initial setup

This is what you'll need to do to add another location to your cockpit, after you're already connected  to Google:

  1. In the sidebar of the cockpit, navigate to Settings > Locations.
  2. Select Add location in the upper right corner.
  3. Fill in the location information. If you would like to add opening hours for the location and need help with that, refer to step 4 of the section Update a location's opening hours.
  4. Select Save location and add to Google.

The location has been added to your cockpit and to Google. On its Google Business Profile card, you can find information about the profile's status. Learn more about the different statuses under Google Business Profile statuses. Optionally, you can now also assign this location to a pickup option.

Edit a location

Note

Any changes you make to a location in your cockpit will be taken over for its Google Business Profile and an assigned pickup option. Please keep in mind that Google may review any changes you make and depending on the changes you may need to re-verify the location.
If you have made any changes to a Business Profile in your Google Account and would like to see those changes reflected in your cockpit, select Sync locations with data from Google on the Manage Google connection card to automatically update the location in your cockpit accordingly.

To edit a location in your cockpit, this is what you'll need to do:

  1. In the sidebar of the cockpit, navigate to Settings > Locations.
  2. Navigate to the location you would like to edit and select Pencil_icon.png.
  3. Make changes as needed.
  4. Select Save and sync with Google.

The location has been updated according to your changes.

Update a location's opening hours

Note

Any changes you make to the opening hours of a location in the cockpit will be taken over for the connected Google Business Profile and an assigned pickup option.
If you have made any changes to your opening hours in your Google Account and would like to see those changes reflected in your cockpit, select Sync locations with data from Google on the Manage Google connection card to automatically update the opening hours in your cockpit accordingly.

To update a location's opening hours, this is what you'll need to do:

  1. In the sidebar of the cockpit, navigate to Settings > Locations.
  2. Navigate to the location you would like to edit and select Pencil_icon.png.
  3. Scroll down to Opening hours.
  4. Enter the opening hours in the format of HH:MM.
    • If the location is closed on some days, leave these days blank. No opening hours will be displayed for these days in your cockpit. They will be shown as closed on the location's Google Business Profile and, if you've assigned the location to a pickup option, to your customers during checkout.
    • If the location is only closed for a few hours, for example, during lunch break, select Add hours for the respective day. You can then define two time slots for that day.
    • Here's an example of a location that is only open on Mondays from 8 am to 4 pm and on Wednesday from 9 am to 6 pm but with a two-hour lunch break from 12 am to 2 pm:OpeningHours.png
  5. Select Save and sync with Google.

The opening hours have been updated according to your changes.

Remove a location

Caution

If you remove a location in your cockpit, it will be removed from both your cockpit and your Google Account. Any Google Business Profile content (e.g. photos, videos, posts, websites) you may have published for this location will be deleted; any connected Google Ads will become inactive. You will no longer manage the location, but some business information (e.g. name and address) may continue to show across Google Search, Maps and other Google products. If you want to manage this location at a later time, you will need to re-add and verify it.

If you remove a location that is assigned to a pickup option, the respective pickup option will also be removed. Your customers will thus not be able to select the pickup option at checkout anymore. That's also why you cannot remove a location that is assigned to your last pickup option if you do not offer at least one shipping method. Otherwise, customers would not be able to make a purchase on your website anymore.

To remove a location from your cockpit, this is what you'll need to do:

  1. In the sidebar of the cockpit, navigate to Settings > Locations.
  2. Navigate to the location you would like to remove and select Pencil_icon.png.
  3. Select Remove location.
  4. Confirm by selecting Remove from cockpit and Google Account in the confirmation dialog.

The location has been removed.

Disconnect from Google

Note

If you disconnect from your Google Account, the locations in your cockpit will no longer be synchronised with the locations in your Google Account. You can continue to manage your locations in your cockpit, but any changes you make to your locations in your cockpit will not be reflected on Google. You may reconnect to Google at any time.

To disconnect from Google, this is what you'll do:

  1. In the sidebar of the cockpit, navigate to Settings > Locations.
  2. On the Manage Google connection card, select Disconnect.
  3. In the confirmation dialog, select Disconnect from Google.

Your locations are no longer connected to Google.

Google Business Profile statuses

Here is an overview of the different statuses on the Google Business Profile cards attached to your locations in your cockpit when they are connected to your Google Account.

Not yet verified

If you're connected to Google, but a location hasn't been verified by Google, you will see the status Not yet verified on its Google Business Profile card. For the location to appear across Google Search and Maps and to fully manage its Google Business Profile, you'll need to verify it. You will need to verify each location separately.

Note

It is recommended that you review your business information before you start the verification process. Once you have requested your verification code, you will not be able to edit your location’s address, business name, or categories until the verification process is completed.

To start the verification process, this is what you'll need to do:

  1. On the location's Google Business Profile card, select Start verification process.
  2. In the next step, choose a way to receive a verification code. Depending on your type of business, you may see one or more options to verify.
  3. Enter the details required for your chosen verification option.
  4. Select the "Send" button to send the verification code.
  5. The location's status will change to Pending verification. After you have received your verification code, enter it in the respective field on the Google Business Profile card of this location. If you have more than one location that is pending verification, be sure to enter the correct code for each location.
  6. Select Verify.

If everything went well, the location's status will change to Location verified. If you see another status, you can read more about that status below. If you encounter any issues during the verification process, you can find more information under Troubleshooting.

Pending verification

After you have requested a verification code for a location, its status will change to Pending verification. There is nothing to do here until you receive your verification code. As soon as you have received the code, enter it in the field and select Verify to complete the verification process. You’ll have a limited number of attempts to enter the code, so be sure that you’re entering the correct verification code for the location.

Note

You will not be able to make any changes to a location while it is pending verification. If you do need to make changes to a location while it is pending verification, you’ll have the option to cancel the verification process. If you do so, the verification code you may receive for this location will be invalid and you’ll have to restart the verification process in order to request a new code.

To cancel the verification process, this is what you’ll do:

  • On the Google Business Profile card of a location with the status Pending verification, select Cancel verification.
  • If you encounter any issues during the verification process, you can find more information under Troubleshooting.

Location verified

After you have successfully entered the verification code for a location, you will see the status Location verified on its Google Business Profile card. This means the verification process for this location has been successfully completed.

Note

As Google may review any changes you make to your locations, you may need to verify a location again if you make any changes to it, for example, if you change a location's address or name.

Duplicate location

  • If a location is a duplicate of an existing location – either of a location in your Google Account or of a location that someone else owns or manages – you will see the status Duplicate location on its Google Business Profile card.
  • If it is a duplicate of a location in your own Google Account, you can remove it in your cockpit, which will also remove it from your Google Account. Once the duplicate is removed, it can't be recovered, so be sure you are removing the right location.
  • If it is a duplicate of an existing location on Google that someone else owns or manages, you may request ownership of the existing Google Business Profile, if applicable. Visit your Google Business Profile dashboard for more information.
  • If the existing Google Business Profile is not yours and you have added it to your cockpit by accident, remove it from your cockpit.
  • If you have entered incorrect business details in your cockpit that resulted in the duplicate status, you can change the location information in your cockpit. 

Pending review

Google may review any suggested edits or updates to your locations on Google. While a location is under review from Google, you will see the status Pending review on its Google Business Profile card. There is usually no action needed from you; you'll just need to wait until the review is completed. You can also visit your Google Business Profile dashboard for more information.

Location or profile disabled/suspended

If a location's Google Business Profile has been disabled or suspended by Google, you will see the status Business Profile disabled or Business Profile suspended on its Google Business Profile card. You can learn more about what to do in this case on your Google Business Profile dashboard, where you'll also have the option to request a reinstatement.

Error with location sync

If there has been an error while syncing the location information in your cockpit with your Google Account, you will see the status Error with location sync on its Google Business Profile card. This error can have various causes. One of the possible causes can be that Google did not recognise the address information you entered for this location. Review the address information for the location, make changes as needed and select Save and sync with Google.

If this error persists, you can contact Support or go to your Google Business Profile dashboard to find out more.

Troubleshooting

Locations could not be imported from Google

No Google Business Profile found:
If you get started by importing locations from Google and no existing locations can be found on Google, you can manually add one or more locations to your cockpit (steps 1-6).

Error with location sync

It may happen that an error occurs while syncing a location in your cockpit with Google. This location will have the status Error with location sync on its Google Business Profile card in your cockpit. This error can have various causes. One of the possible causes can be that Google did not recognise the address information you entered for this location. Review the address information for the location, make changes as needed and select Save and sync with Google.

If this error persists, please contact Support or go to your Google Business Profile dashboard to find out more.

The verification code is not working

If you enter a verification code on the Google Business Profile card of a location that has the status Pending verification and the code is rejected as not valid, you'll have the following options:

  • If you have more than one location that is pending verification, make sure you are entering the code for the correct location.
  • Double-check that you have entered the code correctly, that the CAPS lock on your keyboard is not active and that there are no additional whitespaces at the beginning or end of the code you entered.
  • Have you canceled the verification process and afterwards requested a new code? It may be that the code you received is not valid anymore and you'll need to wait for the new code to arrive.
  • Have you tried to enter the code more than 5 times? You may need to cancel the verification and request a new code.

If none of these options applies, visit your Google Business Profile dashboard and navigate to Support.

Was this article helpful?
1 out of 2 found this helpful

Related articles