Walmart Reseller Program In 2023 (How It Works, Fees + More)

Hey there! With over 4700 stores across the United States and 100 million website visitors every month, Walmart is the largest retailer in America. If you‘re an established ecommerce seller looking to take your business to the next level, selling on Walmart Marketplace could be a great move. This comprehensive guide will explain everything you need to know about becoming a Walmart reseller in 2024.

What Exactly is the Walmart Reseller Program?

The Walmart reseller program allows independent, third-party sellers like yourself to list products for sale on Walmart.com. As a reseller, you get to manage your own inventory, pricing, shipping, and customer service while tapping into Walmart‘s vast customer base.

To join the program, sellers have to apply and be approved to sell on Walmart Marketplace. Walmart has strict standards – they only accept established sellers with a proven track record of sales and positive customer reviews.

Here are some key things to understand about how it works:

• Resellers apply and must be approved to sell on the marketplace
• Once accepted, sellers can list products through Walmart‘s Seller Center
• Resellers control pricing, inventory, shipping, returns – Walmart provides the platform
• Walmart charges referral fees on sales, not monthly subscription fees

So in a nutshell, Walmart handles the platform and traffic while approved sellers offer products and handle the order details. Walmart is selective about approving sellers, but it can be very lucrative if you get accepted.

How Big is Walmart‘s Reach For Sellers?

To understand the potential upside, let‘s look at some key stats on Walmart‘s massive scale:

• Over 100 million monthly visitors to Walmart.com
• 32% of all ecommerce sales in United States
• 270 million SKUs available on Walmart Marketplace
• 45% YoY increase in Walmart Marketplace sales in 2021

As you can see, Walmart has an absolutely huge presence online thanks to its brand recognition and enormous physical retail network.

According to the company, the Walmart Marketplace has grown to over 70,000 approved sellers who contribute over 30% of total ecommerce sales.

So if you can get approved as a seller, you gain access to an audience of tens of millions of shoppers. Walmart‘s brand trust also gives your products built-in credibility.

What are the Main Benefits of Selling on Walmart Marketplace?

If you can meet the requirements, here are some of the key benefits you can expect from the Walmart reseller program:

• Massive reach: Gain exposure to over 100 million monthly visitors who trust Walmart.com
• Higher margins: Walmart‘s referral fees are around 15% vs. Amazon‘s 15-20% – more profit for you.
• Powerful analytics: Tap into Walmart‘s extensive e-commerce data to optimize conversions and sales.
• Operational ease: Walmart has optimized logistics for inventory, shipping, returns, and payouts.
• Customer trust: Established shoppers trust Walmart‘s brand and associate it with quality.

In summary, you get incredible scale, lower fees, helpful data, and a streamlined experience. The tradeoff is needing to meet Walmart‘s elevated seller standards.

What Are Walmart‘s Requirements for Marketplace Sellers?

To gain access to Walmart‘s platform, you‘ll need to meet some lofty requirements as a seller:

• Registered U.S. business: Must be an LLC or corporation with an EIN from the IRS. No informal sellers allowed.

• Sales history: You need to demonstrate at least 1 year of selling experience with positive reviews and feedback. Existing e-commerce presence preferred.

• High-quality merchandise: Products must enhance Walmart‘s assortment. No used, handmade, custom, or dropshipped items.

• Solid operations: Have systems for inventory management, order fulfillment, returns/refunds, and top-notch customer service.

• Account setup: Be prepared to provide tax info, product catalog, inventory counts, and other required docs for onboarding.

• Performance standards: Maintain low order defect rate, cancellation rate, and on-time shipping to avoid account suspension.

As you can see, the bar is high. Walmart thoroughly vets sellers before approving them. You‘ll likely wait 2-3 months for a decision. But the payoff of tapping into Walmart‘s ecosystem makes it worthwhile for established merchants.

Step-By-Step Guide to Becoming a Walmart Reseller

If you meet the seller requirements, here is a step-by-step guide to getting set up on Walmart Marketplace:

1. Register your business as an LLC or corporation and obtain an EIN from the IRS.

2. Create a seller account on Walmart and provide your EIN, tax info, and business registration docs.

3. Upload your product catalog with pricing, specs, images, and descriptions for Walmart‘s review.

4. Wait for Walmart to thoroughly review your application and approve you as a seller.

5. Onboard your inventory into Walmart warehouses or prepare to ship orders yourself.

6. List your products on the Marketplace through Walmart‘s Seller Center.

7. Drive traffic to your listings through promotions and optimize based on Walmart‘s analytics.

I recommend giving yourself 4-6 months for the whole process. It takes time to get your ducks in a row as an eligible seller before you can tap into Walmart‘s platform. But the payout of joining can be fantastic if you prepare properly.

What Fees Will You Pay As a Walmart Reseller?

One of the benefits of Walmart vs. other marketplaces is no required monthly or subscription fees. As a reseller, you only pay Walmart fees when you make a sale:

Fee	Amount
Referral Fee	15% of sale price for most categories, 10% for groceries
Closing Fee	$0.30 per item sold to cover payment processing
Shipping Commission	Varies based on carrier and service level chosen
Shipping Supplies	Varies depending on quantities ordered of boxes, tape, labels
Return Processing	$2.95 for Walmart to handle a customer return
Storage Fees	For storing inventory in Walmart warehouses, based on product size

So you save money up front and only pay Walmart when you make sales. Just keep in mind the various delivery, storage, processing, and other fees that add up on top of the referral fees.

Even with those additional costs, Walmart‘s pricing model is very competitive compared to other big marketplaces.

Which is Better for Sellers – Walmart or Amazon?

Walmart and Amazon operate similarly in terms of providing a marketplace for third-party sellers. But there are some key differences:

Walmart

• Lower referral fees (15% vs. 15-20% for Amazon)
• Higher bar for seller approval
• Cannot sell used/handmade goods
• More support for suppliers/distributors
• Streamlined onboarding and account management

Amazon

• Much larger seller ecosystem
• Easier to get approved as a seller
• Allows individual sellers without a business
• More freedom on policies – e.g. used items allowed
• Requires Pro account for best visibility (~$40/month)

Verdict: Walmart is likely better for established brands with wholesale inventory. Amazon better for small direct-to-consumer sellers.

So if you have an existing merchandise business, Walmart provides a great partner. Individual sellers may find Amazon easier to join but more expensive to compete on.

Mistakes to Avoid as a New Walmart Seller

Based on Walmart‘s policies and advisor suggestions, here are some key mistakes to avoid as a new Marketplace seller:

• Listing prohibited items like used goods or handmade products
• Letting your inventory run out of stock frequently
• Shipping orders late and damaging your on-time delivery rate
• Providing poor customer service and getting low ratings
• Failing to meet Walmart‘s performance requirements
• Using prohibited techniques like scraping product data
• Relying too heavily on Walmart and not diversifying sales channels

Read Walmart‘s seller guidelines closely and keep performance metrics high. Have backups ready for inventory and logistics issues. Focus on the customer experience. And use Walmart as one sales channel, not your only one.

Tips for Succeeding as a Walmart Reseller

Here are some tips from successful sellers on making the most of the Walmart Marketplace:

• Start with high volume categories: Begin selling in departments like electronics, home, and apparel where Walmart moves lots of merchandise.

• Study competitors: See what top sellers in your category do with pricing, promotions, inventory, etc.

• Experiment across the marketplace: Try offering products across multiple categories once established to uncover new opportunities.

• Use Walmart‘s analytics: Leverage the data available in your Seller Center account to optimize every aspect of your listings and sales process.

• Promote aggressively off-site: Double down on advertising, content marketing, and other promotion to drive traffic to your Walmart listings.

• Provide exceptional service: Go above and beyond on customer service to stand out and earn positive reviews.

By learning from other sellers, maximizing Walmart‘s tools, and relentlessly promoting your products, you can build a highly profitable Walmart sales channel.

The Bottom Line on Walmart‘s Reseller Program

The Walmart Marketplace offers an amazing opportunity to tap into the traffic and trust of America‘s largest retailer. But you have to put in significant work upfront to qualify as a seller, list quality products, and provide amazing service.

For established ecommerce brands with proven success already, selling on Walmart can take your business to the next level through unmatched exposure, lower fees, and helpful analytics.

Just know that getting approved requires dedication, top-tier operations, and patience navigating Walmart‘s application process. If you can meet the standards, the rewards of becoming a Walmart reseller are well worth the effort and wait.

I hope this guide gave you a comprehensive overview of selling on Walmart Marketplace. Let me know if you have any other questions!