One of the fastest-growing eCommerce platforms in the United States is Walmart. With its extensive customer base and established reputation both within and outside the United States, Walmart offers a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to tap into a vast market.
Selling products on Walmart can greatly enhance your brand’s visibility and increase sales. Regardless of your experience level, understanding how to maximize this platform is essential.
This article will explore critical aspects of selling on Walmart.com, providing valuable insights and tips to help you start your business and thrive in this dynamic marketplace.
Walmart: From Physical Store to Online Marketplace
In 1962, Sam Walton established Walmart, which later emerged as a dominant force in the retail industry known for its emphasis on affordability and operational excellence. Throughout its existence, Walmart expanded its business and introduced significant innovations, including Walmart.com.
After more than two decades, Walmart’s online presence was further boosted upon its acquisition of Jet.com in 2016. Currently, Walmart remains a top competitor in the eCommerce industry, rivaling Amazon, Target, and Best Buy.
Walmart’s online platform offers diverse products with flexible delivery options, maintaining its significance in the constantly changing eCommerce environment.
Why Selling on Walmart is Beneficial
If you are hesitating about whether to venture into Walmart as part of your business expansion, consider these reasons to integrate your products into the extensive Walmart marketplace:
Sell with confidence on Walmart
Walmart is one of the largest retail giants globally, with an established reputation and vast customer base. Online sellers and business owners trust Walmart’s impressive global presence and financial success.
In 2023, Walmart reported a staggering revenue of $611 billion worldwide, equating to over $1.56 billion in daily revenue. With a network comprising 10,616 stores and clubs across 19 countries, including 4,618 locations in the United States alone, Walmart serves an astounding 37 million customers daily and over 230 million customers weekly.
Aligning your brand with Walmart improves credibility and fosters trust among consumers. Walmart’s established credibility and reliability as a marketplace offers a lucrative avenue to access its expansive customer base.
Cost-Effective Fee Structure on Walmart
Walmart offers sellers a competitive pricing structure. Online sellers and business owners can retain a larger portion of their revenue because of lower platform fees and expenses. Therefore, the profitability of online sellers while selling on Walmart is increased.
A key advantage of Walmart’s cost-effectiveness is that it does not require sellers to pay a monthly fee for listing their products on its marketplace. Instead, Walmart operates on a commission-based fee system. Sellers are charged a referral fee and a percentage commission for each sale made through the platform. The referral fee percentages are in the table provided below.
| Product Category | Referral Fee Percentage |
| Apparel & Accessories | 5% for items with a total sales price of $15 or less 10% for items with a total sales price between $15 – $20 15% for items with a total sales price greater than $20 15% for backpacks |
| Automotive & Powersports | 12% |
| Automotive Electronics | 8% for categories including Dash & Backup Cameras, Car Speakers, Power Inverters, Vehicle Tracking Systems, Car Video Monitors, Radar Detectors, Automotive Remote Starters, Anti-Theft Devices & Car Speakerphones |
| Baby | 8% for items with a total sales price of $10 or less 15% for items with a total sales price greater than $10 |
| Beauty | 8% for items with a total sales price of $10 or less 15% for items with a total sales price greater than $10 |
| Books | 15% |
| Camera & Photo | 8% |
| Cell Phones | 8% |
| Consumer Electronics | 8% |
| Electronics Accessories | 15% for the portion of the total sales price up to $100 8% for the portion of the total sales price greater than $100 |
| Decor | 15% |
| Gourmet Food | 15% |
| Grocery | 8% for items with a total sales price of $10 or less 15% for items with a total sales price greater than $10 |
| Health & Personal Care | 8% for items with a total sales price of $10 or less 15% for items with a total sales price greater than $10 |
| Home & Garden | 15% |
| Indoor & Outdoor Furniture | 15% on the first $200 / 10% on amounts over $200 |
| Industrial & Scientific | 12% |
| Jewelry | 20% for the portion of the total sales price up to $250 5% for the portion of the total sales price greater than $250 |
| Kitchen | 15% |
| Luggage & Travel Accessories | 15% |
| Major Appliances | 8% |
| Music | 15% |
| Musical Instruments | 12% |
| Office Products | 15%, except 8% for Calculators |
| Outdoor Power Tools | 15% for items with a total sales price ≤ $500 8% for items with a total sales price > $500 |
| Outdoors | 15% except for 8% for Hunting Trail Monitors, Binoculars, Telescopes, Spotting Scopes, and Night Vision Goggles |
| Personal Computers | 6% |
| Pet Supplies | 15% |
| Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Ventilation | 10% |
| Shoes, Handbags & Sunglasses | 15% |
| Software & Computer Video Games | 15% |
| Sporting Goods | 15% |
| Tires & Wheels | 10% |
| Tools & Home Improvement | 15%, except 12% for Base Power Tools |
| Toys & Games | 15% |
| Video & DVD | 15% |
| Video Game Consoles | 8% |
| Video Games | 15% |
| Watches | 15% for the portion of the total sales price up to $1,500 3% for the portion of the total sales price greater than $1,500 |
| Everything Else | 15% |
Table Adapted from Walmart: Overview of “Walmart Marketplace Referral Fees; Retrieved: March 25, 2024, From Marketplace.Walmart
Efficient Software Tools on Walmart
Walmart offers powerful software solutions and tools to assist sellers in managing their online business operations efficiently. Sellers can leverage Walmart’s advanced software solutions from inventory management to advertising to streamline processes, optimize performance, and enhance overall productivity.
Below are some of the notable Walmart tools and programs designed to enhance your business on the platform:
Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS)
WFS offers Walmart sellers access to sophisticated inventory management features, real-time order monitoring, and dedicated customer support, facilitating operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Aside from advanced inventory capabilities, Walmart Fulfillment Services affords sellers flexibility in scaling their businesses because it does not require minimum or maximum inventory.
Walmart Connect
Walmart Connect is Walmart’s advertising solution that empowers brand owners and sellers to engage with its extensive shopper base. Walmart Connect gives sellers access to ad campaign solutions on Walmart.com and the Walmart app, which helps increase product visibility. Some of the ad campaigns you can utilize for your Walmart business include:
- On-Site Display Ads
- Off-Site Display Ads
- Search Grid Ads
- Carousel Ads
- Brand Amplifier
Walmart Brand Portal
The Walmart Brand Portal provides tools and resources for managing product listings, monitoring performance, and enhancing brand presence on Walmart.com. The Brand Portal is a valuable hub for brand owners to manage all aspects of their intellectual property brand management.
Aside from the main Walmart features mentioned above, other notable Walmart tools and programs include:
Walmart Repricer: This tool helps Walmart sellers manage their listing prices and close the gap between the seller’s price and the competitor’s listing price.
Review Accelerator: This program helps you obtain authentic reviews for your listings, which in turn can help boost your sales.
Marketplace Capital: This program allows Walmart to provide fast funding when needed.
Listing Quality: This feature can help you improve listing optimization. Walmart’s Listing Quality Dashboard provides insightful recommendations to help you grow your business.
Pro Seller Badge: This program highlights qualified sellers in the marketplace, boosting exposure and increasing conversion.
Collectively, these Walmart features, tools, and programs are designed to empower sellers, helping them scale their businesses on the Walmart platform.
Seamless Omnichannel Integration
Walmart supports smooth integration between its online marketplace and third-party software solutions. By leveraging Walmart’s omnichannel capabilities, sellers can enhance customer convenience and satisfaction while maximizing sales opportunities.
Streamlined Onboarding Process
Walmart provides a streamlined onboarding process for sellers, making it quick and easy to start selling on their platform. From account setup to product listings, Walmart offers comprehensive guidance and support to help sellers get started promptly. In the following section, we will detail the steps to start selling on Walmart.
Quick Start Guide: How to Start Selling on Walmart
Walmart simplifies the onboarding process for new sellers, allowing for a fast start. Below are four straightforward steps to kickstart your selling journey on Walmart:
Step 1 – Complete Mandatory Details: Visit the Walmart Marketplace signup page, input the required information, review the terms, and create your Walmart Marketplace account.
STEP 2 – Verify Your Business: Start by submitting your business details and completing your Seller Profile. Make sure your tax information aligns with IRS records for swift business verification, enabling you to begin selling promptly.
STEP 3 – Set Up Payment Preferences: Provide Walmart with the necessary information to facilitate payments for your sales.
STEP 4 – Configure Shipping and Returns: Customize your shipping methods and costs according to your preferences and business needs. Additionally, select your preferred returns method and carriers that align with your budget and service requirements.
Minimum Qualifications Required for Joining Walmart Marketplace
To prepare for your seller application on Walmart, ensure you meet the following minimum qualifications for joining its marketplace:
- History of marketplace or eCommerce success
- Products that have GTIN/UPC GS1 Company Prefix Numbers
- Business Tax ID(s) (SSN not accepted) or Business License Number
- Supporting documents that verify your business name and address
- Catalog that complies with Walmart’s Prohibited Products Policy
- Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) or another B2C U.S. warehouse with returns capability
Sell on Walmart with Seller Snap
For sellers operating on both the Walmart and Amazon marketplaces, utilizing a multichannel repricer is critical to maintaining a competitive edge in the eCommerce landscape.
At Seller Snap, we understand that selling simultaneously on both Walmart and Amazon presents a lucrative opportunity for you to expand your reach and maximize profit. Hence, we offer our Amazon repricing solution, now seamlessly integrated with Walmart, to capitalize on this opportunity.
With our software’s Walmart PriceSync feature, we empower sellers to effortlessly manage and synchronize prices between Walmart and Amazon, streamlining operations and freeing up valuable time. You can gain centralized control over sales channels, facilitating simplified price management.
By embracing a multi-channel selling strategy, you can unlock opportunities to diversify revenue streams, expand your audience reach, and boost your eCommerce sales.
We help you stay ahead in the dynamic world of online retail, driving sustained growth and success across multiple platforms. To facilitate such integration, you must undertake these three crucial steps:
STEP 1: Enter Walmart Seller Details.
STEP 2: Create a CSV file to map Amazon SKUs to Walmart SKUs.
STEP 3: Enable Walmart PriceSync.
For comprehensive instructions on activating Seller Snap’s price propagation solution, you can refer to the detailed Walmart PriceSync Integration guide.
Join Walmart Marketplace Today!
Ready to take your business to the next level? Begin selling on Walmart and connect with millions of customers globally. Benefit from Walmart’s competitive pricing, and software solutions such as Walmart Fulfillment Services & Walmart-Seller Snap Integration to enjoy seamless onboarding. Join Walmart now and open doors to fresh opportunities for success!
