Once an Amazon business is running well, Walmart Marketplace is usually the first channel sellers consider adding. It has a large US customer base, lower competition in many categories and no monthly fee. But it is not the right next step for every brand.
Who Walmart Marketplace suits
- Brands selling in the US. Walmart Marketplace is a US marketplace. You need a business that can serve US customers with reliable delivery.
- Everyday categories. Household, home, baby, pet, health, outdoor and many other everyday categories do well.
- Competitive prices. Walmart shoppers compare prices, and Walmart can unpublish items it considers priced too high compared with other places they are sold.
- Sellers with a track record. Walmart reviews every application and looks for experience on other marketplaces, good performance and a complete product catalog.
Fees
Walmart Marketplace has no monthly subscription and no setup fee. Instead, it takes a referral fee on each sale, which varies by category. For most categories it falls between 6% and 15%. If you use Walmart Fulfillment Services, fulfilment and storage fees are added, as with FBA.
Amazon and Walmart compared
| Amazon | Walmart Marketplace | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Open registration | Application and review |
| Monthly fee | Yes, on the Professional plan | No |
| Fulfilment service | FBA | Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) |
| Advertising | Amazon Ads | Walmart Connect (Sponsored Search and more) |
| Competition | Very high in most categories | Often lower, but growing |
What carries over from Amazon
A lot of the hard work carries over: your product research, images, copy, supplier relationships and knowledge of what sells. Some things do not:
- Attributes and content rules. Walmart has its own item setup requirements, attribute names and title guidelines. Listings need adapting, not copying.
- Reviews. Your Amazon reviews stay on Amazon. You start Walmart with none, so plan how to earn the first ones, for example through Walmart's own reviewer program where you are eligible.
- Advertising history. Walmart Connect campaigns start from scratch, although your Amazon search term data is a good starting point for keywords.
Signs to wait
- Your Amazon account is not yet stable: stock-outs, account health issues or unprofitable advertising.
- Your prices are much higher than similar products, and your margins do not allow you to compete.
- You do not have enough stock to supply a second channel without risking Amazon.
How to start
- Check that your categories and business details meet Walmart's requirements, then apply.
- Start with your best-selling Amazon products that are priced competitively.
- Adapt listings to Walmart's attributes and content guidelines.
- Decide between shipping yourself and WFS. WFS is usually simpler if you already use FBA.
- Start Sponsored Search on a small budget, using the terms that work on Amazon.
We help brands with the whole move, from application to listings and advertising. See our Walmart full-service management. Thinking about your own store instead? Read when a brand store is worth building.