How Walmart’s Customer-First Philosophy Benefits Marketplace Sellers

Here at Walmart, our customers are at the center of our company’s purpose and values. We ensure this translates across all our channels, including walmart.com and the Walmart app, our digital storefronts that recently unveiled a redesign that makes shopping fast, easy and fun. And, our Every Day Low Price (EDLP) strategy is designed to help customers save money and live better regardless of how they shop with us.

That said, price is just one of several reasons why people shop at Walmart. Customers choose Walmart and keep coming back for great prices, a variety of options, positive experiences, and convenience.

• 88% say navigating Walmart.com is easy.

• 79% say shopping on Walmart’s digital channels saves them time.

• 72% feel they’re getting the best deal possible.

• 62% say Walmart’s digital channels provide helpful recommendations.

• 85% of Walmart Customers make at least one online purchase a month.

So, how and why does this make Walmart Marketplace worth joining as an eCommerce seller? It’s simple. Since we know our customers, we know how to set sellers up for success in meeting customers’ expectations.

In part, this is made possible through our ever-evolving ecosystem of solutions. Each feature and tool is thoughtfully created to cater to customers through every phase of their shopping journey on Walmart.com. At the same time, they help drive growth for sellers of all sizes.

Source: Walmart Spark Panel, April 2021

As a Walmart Marketplace seller you can...

Drive awareness and discovery of your products

Many Marketplace sellers have already tapped into the power of Sponsored Search advertising from Walmart Connect and other merchandising programs like Flash Picks, and Seasonal Campaigns to help their products stand out.

Sponsored Search ads from Walmart Connect are designed to get your products in front of millions of customers actively searching for related items on Walmart’s site and app. So, not only does investing in Sponsored Search ads help your business grow, it helps improve the customer experience by reducing the time it takes for them to find what they’re looking for.

For a limited time, new sellers can get a $500 Sponsored Search ad credit after they sign up to sell on Walmart Marketplace to jumpstart their business.

Did you know?

76% of the top 500 Marketplace sellers use Sponsored Search advertising*

Walmart Connect provides advertising solutions to help sellers connect with our customers more often and more meaningfully than ever before.

*Walmart Connect first-party data: (02/01/22 – 01/21/23)

Did you know?

When you implement recommendations from the Listing Quality Dashboard and increase your score from 70 to 90, it can produce more than a 10% lift in conversion*

*Walmart Internal Data, 2020.

Influence shoppers as they research and compare items

Next, whether you’re driving traffic with the help of the programs above or getting shoppers to find your products organically, Listing Quality (LQ) is a valuable part of the conversion funnel.

With that said, you can build top-performing product pages with our Listing Quality Dashboard. This powerful tool helps you take optimization to the next level by providing insightful recommendations to help you drive sales and grow your Walmart Marketplace business.

Appeal to shoppers as they consider products and help increase conversions

Taking it a step further, there are even more ways you can help your listings attract customers. For example, most of today’s shoppers are driven by convenience and price. This often means they’re looking for the best deal and quick and affordable shipping. However, it can be costly for sellers to try to meet these expectations.

At Walmart Marketplace, it’s easy to provide your customers fast shipping with tools like Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS).

With Walmart Fulfillment Services, Marketplace sellers gain access to a cost-effective end-to-end fulfillment solution. WFS helps provide the scale, quality, and efficiency needed to grow a successful business on Walmart.com—including providing customers with a seamless shopping experience.

Delight customers with speedy shipping

Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) makes it possible to meet customers’ high expectations with two-day shipping across the contiguous US at rates that average 15% less* than the competition. Not to mention, you can also win repeat and loyal customers with WFS items eligible for free shipping in Walmart+ subscriptions.

You can also join our TwoDay or ThreeDay seller-fulfilled shipping programs to offer attractive delivery options. This approach allows you to manage fulfillment yourself, either nationally or regionally, from your own warehouses.

*Fulfillment cost per item. Walmart first-party data, December 2023-March 2024.

Did you know?

Marketplace sellers that use WFS earn ‘Fulfilled by Walmart’ and ‘2-day shipping’ tags on their products. These tags help drive 50% GMV growth,** on average, for items we fulfill.

And, with boosted search rankings, sellers with previous 2-day shipping can see an average GMV lift of 50%** for both sortable and non-sortable items.

** Walmart first-party data, February 2023-February 2024.

Support customers after the purchase

It’s important to remember, the customer experience on Walmart.com doesn’t end when they purchase a product and get it delivered on time. As much as we hope our customers are pleased with the items they receive, returns are sometimes inevitable.

As a Walmart Marketplace seller, you can tap into our Enhanced Returns experience to help support customers after they make a purchase and encourage them to become your repeat customers in the future. WFS takes care of returns both in-store and by mail—which means great, convenient service for customers, and less work for sellers.

With Enhanced Returns, customers can make returns in-store or online. Having a flexible, reliable, and consistent return option is attractive to shoppers and is another way you can help you grow your sales. What’s more, Marketplace sellers that participate in Enhanced Returns can lower their return-processing costs when they choose Walmart Returns Shipping Service as their preferred option for label printing.

Did you know?

More than a quarter of consumers say they purchased from Walmart.com because they appreciate the ability to make returns at their local Walmart store (29%) and because they value our return policies (25%).

Measure your impact

After considering the entire customer journey and examples of what’s available to you as a Marketplace seller, rest assured you have support. With a multitude of performance dashboards available, you can ensure you’re making the most of your presence on Walmart.com.

When you log into Seller Center and navigate to the Analytics tab, you can drill down into different areas of your business. This granular level of detail helps Marketplace sellers identify what’s working well and uncover areas for improvement.

Trusted strategies for success

Walmart has incredible tools to help sellers succeed on its marketplace, but it may be hard to know where to start. That’s why we made the Marketplace Playbook for Sellers, a step-by-step guide for maximizing your success. Learn how to convert more customers, connect with your audience, and see the latest trends driving ecommerce growth on Walmart.com.

If you’re not already selling on Walmart.com, we have great news! For a limited time, new sellers will enjoy up to 25% off Walmart’s already competitive referral rates and a $500 Sponsored Products ad credit to jumpstart their journey on Walmart. 

To help streamline this experience, we have simplified the setup process into only three steps. This way new sellers can begin onboarding and unlock access to strategic programs instantly. Join Walmart Marketplace.