March 10th, 2025
Should You Sell on Walmart E-commerce Marketplace?
Whether you're a budding Shopify retailer or an established Amazon seller, expanding to Walmart Marketplace is hard to ignore. With over 120 million monthly shoppers, it’s a chance to tap into one of the most popular online shopping destinations. Why not make your brand part of the action?
Before jumping in, it is important to weigh the pros and cons to determine if Walmart Marketplace is the right fit for your business. While the platform offers massive exposure, it also comes with its own set of challenges, ranging from price competitiveness to meeting fulfillment requirements.
Whether you're looking to expand your reach or streamline your operations, we’ve got the expert insights that will set you on the path to success on Walmart Marketplace. Let’s dive in!
Why Walmart Marketplace is Different
Walmart Marketplace offers unique advantages that set it apart from Amazon and Shopify:
- Millions trust it: As a household name, Walmart provides your brand with instant credibility.
- It offers balanced pricing: Walmart doesn’t push you into price wars, allowing more control over your pricing.
- It’s both local and online: Walmart’s growing integration with physical stores connects you with local shoppers and offers online and in-store fulfillment.
- It gives you instant exposure: Walmart gives you direct access to millions of shoppers, so there is no need to build traffic from scratch.
Walmart’s blend of trust, reach, and pricing flexibility makes it a powerful platform for expanding your brand. Let’s learn more about how it works.
How to Sell on Walmart E-commerce: A Step-by-Step Guide
Ready to expand your brand on Walmart Marketplace? Here’s a quick guide to get started:
Qualifications to Join Walmart Marketplace:
- Business Tax ID(s) or Business License Number (no SSN)
- Supporting documents for business name/address verification
- Marketplace or e-commerce success history
- Products with GTIN/UPC GS1 Company Prefix Numbers
- Compliance with Walmart’s Prohibited Products Policy
- Fulfillment through Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) or another U.S.-based warehouse
How to list products on Walmart Marketplace:
- Business Verification: Submit your business details for quick verification.
- Payments Setup: Provide your payment info to receive earnings.
- Shipping Configuration: Set up shipping preferences and return methods.
Walmart E-commerce Best Practices:
To speed up fulfillment, consider using Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) for efficient storage, packing, and shipping.
What Does It Cost to Sell on Walmart Marketplace?
There are no setup or monthly fees. Walmart charges a referral fee on each sale, ranging from 6% to 15%, depending on your product category.
Not sure if Walmart works for your business? Check out this case study to see how we helped a plastics manufacturer increase their Walmart sales by an incredible 2,107.96% in just one year!
Why Selling on Walmart Marketplace Is a Smart Move
Walmart Marketplace has opportunities to grow your business, boost your credibility, and tap into millions of shoppers. Here’s how you can make the most of it:
1. Everyone Knows Walmart Marketplace
Why It’s Great: With over 37M customers per day, Walmart’s online store is one of the busiest out there.
Pro Tip: Enhance your presence on Walmart Marketplace by optimizing your listings and creating a captivating Brand Shop and Shelf to distinguish yourself from the competition and stand out.
2. Affordable Walmart Seller Fees and Logistics
Why It’s Great: Walmart doesn’t charge monthly fees; you save money immediately.
Pro Tip: Invest those savings in advertising management and leverage Walmart Sponsored Products to drive traffic and boost your visibility.
3. Built-in Trust Gives Your Brand Credibility
Why It’s Great: As a trusted household name, Walmart lends your products instant credibility.
Pro Tip: Highlight quality and value in your product descriptions to align with Walmart’s customer expectations.
4. Access to Multi-Channel Fulfillment
Why It’s Great: You can sell online and fulfill locally, giving you local and national reach.
Pro Tip: Consider Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) for smooth logistics and speedy shipping perks.
5. Walmart Marketplace Offers Flexible Pricing
Why It’s Great: Walmart gives you more freedom to set your prices, unlike Amazon.
Pro Tip: Test different price points to find the sweet spot that maximizes sales and profits.
By leveraging these benefits and adding a strategic edge to your approach, you can turn Walmart’s platform into your next big growth opportunity!
The Downside of Walmart Marketplace (And How to Overcome It)
Walmart Marketplace offers some great opportunities but comes with its fair share of challenges. Here’s a breakdown of some common hurdles and how to tackle them:
- Strict Seller Requirements
The Challenge: Walmart has specific rules, like needing a business tax ID, following product compliance, and meeting high fulfillment standards.
The Solution: Make sure your business checks all the boxes before applying. Get your documentation in order and invest in compliance tools to make the process smoother.
- High Competition in Certain Categories
The Challenge: Categories like electronics are super competitive, making it challenging to stand out.
The Solution: Focus on niche or less crowded categories. Use Walmart’s advertising tools to boost your visibility and showcase your products' unique qualities.
- Limited Customization
The Challenge: Walmart doesn’t offer as much flexibility for store design as platforms like Shopify.
The Solution: Maximize your product listings with eye-catching images, engaging descriptions, and SEO-friendly keywords to grab attention, even with limited design options.
- Fulfillment Constraints
The Challenge: You need to meet Walmart’s fulfillment standards, or you’ll have to rely on third-party logistics, which can be pricey.
The Solution: Carefully consider your fulfillment options. Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) offers competitive rates or negotiates with reliable third-party providers to keep costs down.
- Original Listings Required
The Challenge: You can’t just reuse product descriptions or images from other platforms—Walmart wants content tailored to its audience.
The Solution: Have a Walmart pro tweak your existing content to match Walmart’s straightforward tone and highlight key features and benefits to entice shoppers.
By handling these challenges smartly, you can make the most of Walmart Marketplace and tap into its massive customer base!
Walmart Trends to Watch
As Walmart keeps expanding its e-commerce presence, a few key trends will shape 2025. Here’s what’s coming up and how you can make the most of these changes:
Focus Shifts to Third-Party Sellers
The Trend: Walmart’s ramping up its third-party marketplace, bringing more sellers on board, and improving seller tools.
How to Leverage It: Keep your listings sharp with Walmart SEO and use tools like Walmart Connect Ads. The earlier you get comfortable with these features, the more you’ll benefit.
Enhanced Fulfillment Options
The Trend: Walmart is expanding its fulfillment services, including Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), which means faster, more affordable shipping.
How to Leverage It: Sign up for WFS to take advantage of its perks—fast shipping keeps customers happy and helps maintain high-performance metrics.Sustainability Sells
The Trend: Walmart’s all-in on sustainability, encouraging eco-friendly products and practices from its sellers.
How to Leverage It: In your listings, showcase any green aspects of your products, packaging, or manufacturing. Certifications like "recyclable" or "organic" can significantly impact eco-conscious buyers.Expansion of Popular Categories
The Trend: Categories like home goods, health & wellness, and groceries are set for growth as Walmart invests more in these popular areas.
How to Leverage It: Align your products with these trending categories and make sure your messaging speaks to Walmart’s value-driven shoppers. Highlight your product’s quality to win them over.AI and Data Integration
The Trend: Like Amazon, Walmart is using AI and data tools to personalize shopping and enhance search features.
How to Leverage It: Use Walmart’s analytics tools to track trends and customer behavior. Refine your listings with the right keywords and attributes to stay ahead of the curve.Omnichannel Expansion
The Trend: Walmart plans to offer in-store pickup for all Marketplace products within the next five years, making omnichannel selling more critical than ever.
How to Leverage It: Offer options like in-store pickup and check out how Walmart’s advertising solutions can link your online and offline efforts to drive more sales.
By monitoring these trends and adjusting your strategy, your business can thrive in Walmart’s shifting e-commerce space!
Crack the Walmart Code
The future of Walmart Marketplace is full of opportunities—if you know how to make the most of them! With access to a vast customer base and exciting trends in omnichannel growth on the horizon, now’s the perfect time to get ahead of the competition.
Ready to expand your e-commerce reach? Contact our experts today, and let’s turn your goals into game-changing results!