---
title: "Display & Layout Options"
description: "### 3.1 - Dropdown vs Select2 Layout Choose between two layout styles: - **Dropdown** — a classic, simple `` field. Lightweight and works everywhere. - **Select2** — a searchable, styled dropdown with support for product images and richer formatting. ![](https://pluginorbit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/screenshot-3-1024x429.png)…"
url: "https://pluginorbit.com/docs/display-layout-options/"
updated: "2026-09-02"
category: Product Dropdown Selector for Contact Form 7
---

# Display & Layout Options

### 3.1 - Dropdown vs Select2 Layout

Choose between two layout styles:

- **Dropdown** — a classic, simple `<select>` field. Lightweight and works everywhere.
- **Select2** — a searchable, styled dropdown with support for product images and richer formatting.

![](https://pluginorbit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/screenshot-3-1024x429.png)

![](https://pluginorbit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/screenshot-4-1024x521.png)

### 3.2 - Enabling Multi-Select Products

Tick **Allow selecting multiple products** under Selection Mode to let a visitor choose more than one product in the same field. Works with both Dropdown and Select2 layouts.

![](https://pluginorbit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/screenshot-7.png)

### 3.3 - AJAX Live Search (For Large Catalogs)

If your store has a large number of products, preloading every product into the dropdown can slow the page down. Enable **Load products via live AJAX search** (only available with the Select2 layout) so products are fetched from your store as the visitor types, instead of all at once.

> Note: AJAX search is only available for the Select2 layout, not the plain Dropdown layout.

![](https://pluginorbit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/screenshot-5.png)

### 3.4 - Custom Placeholder Text

By default the field shows "Select a Product" before anything is chosen. Type your own text into the **Placeholder text** field in the tag generator to change this for example "Choose your product" or "Pick an item to order".

### 3.5 - Sort Order Options

Choose how products are ordered in the dropdown from the **Sort Order** dropdown: Name (A-Z or Z-A), Price (Low to High or High to Low), Popularity (best-selling first), or Newest First. Leave it on "Default" for no specific order.

![](https://pluginorbit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/image.png)

### 3.6 - Grouping Products by Category

Tick **Group products by category (optgroups)** to organize a long list of products under category headings inside the dropdown, making it easier for visitors to scan.

> Note: This option is disabled automatically when AJAX search is turned on, since AJAX results are loaded in pages rather than all at once.

![](https://pluginorbit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/screenshot-6.png)

### 3.7 - Sale Badge & Stock Quantity Display

- Tick **Show "On Sale" badge** to display a small "Sale" tag next to any discounted product, along with a proper strikethrough old price and highlighted new price.
- Tick **Show remaining stock quantity** to display how many units are left, e.g. "5 in stock", next to each product.