The Walmart Marketplace is an eCommerce haven with 384 million unique visitors every month and more than 150,000 sellers. However, you need to establish your worthiness otherwise you’ll be turned away at the gates forever. Here is a guide to helping you succeed your first time applying to sell at Walmart.
How to Get Approval to Sell on Walmart?
The traditional practice of purchasing at brick-and-mortar businesses has given way to internet shopping during the past few years. When purchasing online, there are way too many alternatives to pick from. Amazon, Walmart, Etsy, and eBay are some of the most notable e-commerce platforms available today. Due to their widespread use, we have all heard these names and are all familiar with them.
Walmart Marketplace is a well-known online shopping platform. So if you have been considering joining Walmart as a seller but have numerous concerns, such as “How can I begin selling on Walmart?” or “how do I become accepted on Walmart Marketplace?”, indeed, you have come to the right place.
How Walmart Works?
The Walmart marketplace is an online storefront where customers may purchase items offered by independent sellers. Sellers are required to post their goods on the website in a manner akin to that of Amazon or eBay. You will be charged as a seller in accordance with the category that your item belongs to. Additionally, for each product you sell, you will be required to pay a referral fee to Walmart.
Both big and small vendors have a great chance to reach a bigger audience globally through the Walmart marketplace. You must first create your Walmart account, a seller ID and register your business in order to sell on Walmart without any hassle.
Walmart Seller Criteria
Selling at Walmart is not easy and Walmart places a high priority on providing excellent customer service and customer happiness. Therefore, keep in mind that this is the first item they consider when collaborating with sellers if you are considering applying to the Walmart Marketplace. There is, however, more to it than that.
- Prior eCommerce Experience – Before you submit your application to Walmart, you need to have a successful previous experience owning an eCommerce business.
- Customer Service Record – Sellers are required to present proven records of having provided efficient customer service and satisfaction.
- Product Assortment – You must have an excellent selection of goods available.Competitive Pricing – You need to competitively price your products in order to surpass your competition.
- Fast Shipping – Sellers should use efficient fulfillment methods to ensure fast shipping to customers.
Getting Approved on Walmart
Now you are clearly familiar with the requirements and criteria set for a Walmart seller and it might seem a bit overwhelming. Questions like, “How can I get approved to sell at Walmart?” and “How challenging is it to get accepted by the Walmart marketplace?”, “How to change Walmart account credentials” are among the most frequently asked. People are concerned with account creation and selling on Walmart.
To begin with, here is the list of items that you would need for your marketplace application:
- US Tax ID for your business
- W8/W9 tax forms
- Addresses of your operation facility as well as your warehouse
- EIN Verification Letter issued from the Department of Treasury for the verification of your operation facility as well as your business in the US
- Product catalog size, categories with the increase in the product-related information that also includes the integration method you would use for the product catalog. Make sure that none of the items in your product catalog qualifies as prohibited.
Now that you are done with all the documentation, here’s how to get approved as a Walmart seller in 7 simple steps.
- Establish a Real Business First
Before selling on Walmart, you should first have an established real business on Amazon or eBay. This is a basic requirement and Walmart questions sellers about their prior experience. Not having the required experience is a big NO-NO and can lead to the rejection of your application.
Any e-commerce expertise may be sufficient, though Amazon and eBay experience are desirable. It demonstrates your ability to follow the regulations in a big market. Additionally, they have some of the most reliable customer review platforms online, which gives Walmart a clear picture of your capacity to satisfy customers.
- Meet Customer Service Requirements
Walmart requires its sellers to “offer first-class customer service” and considers it a crucial part of Walmart account management. How can Walmart most effectively determine whether your customer service is top-notch? By taking into account statistics such as your Amazon seller rating and eBay feedback score. These ought to demonstrate your long track record of gratifying web customers.
Success on Amazon and eBay will also demonstrate to Walmart that you are capable of handling requirements like Amazon’s 48-hour response time deadline. Although Walmart has the same policy, it is one of the simpler ones to follow. Be patient and wait to see the rest.
Concerned about your ability to meet Walmart’s requirements while competing with Amazon and eBay? Integrate support for eBay, Amazon, and Walmart to simplify your life. When all of your messages are on one screen, helping consumers on three different sites is a breeze!
Using Walmart Fulfillment Services may allow you to partially or completely avoid Walmart customer service obligations. WFS functions similarly to Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) in that Walmart manages delivery and customer service in exchange for a fee. However, WFS sellers are not exempt from the customer service requirements.
- Sell Goods that are Selling on Walmart
Each seller must offer a “compelling” selection of goods, according to Walmart. According to our interpretation, Walmart only desires goods that it can sell. In fact, they frequently get rid of bad stuff. They will not be interested in bringing on a new seller whose entire product offering will be removed. A quick tip is to ask yourself if your items are unique and if they will sell well or not.
Additionally, be cautious of what is not allowed on Walmart Marketplace. It does not allow the sale of several items that are sold at Walmart shops, including fresh food and weapons.
- Offer Friendly and Competitive Prices
The tagline for Walmart is “Save Money. Live Better.” They adhere to this motto on their marketplace and take away any items with excessive prices. If your things are pricey when you apply, they will reject you so they do not have to deal with de-listing them afterward.
Walmart mostly seeks out high-quality products at reasonable prices. Although they do occasionally sell expensive things, the core of their company is affordability. The best chances of approval are for retailers who serve middle and low-income customers.
- Ace Order Fulfillment
If you manage your own delivery, Walmart needs you to ensure “fast, reliable fulfillment”. It should be simple to get accepted if you utilize a reliable, impartial fulfillment firm or have your own warehouses. However, you can struggle if you rely just on Amazon FBA. Walmart’s app asks consumers what percentage of their orders are fulfilled by Amazon. They also ask if FBA is required in order to fulfill US purchases.
Walmart launched Walmart Fulfillment Services in 2020, much to the relief of many vendors, and started offering its own fulfillment program (WFS). Regarding customer service and fulfillment, this is extremely comparable to FBA. Furthermore, it instantly makes you eligible for Two-Day Delivery.
Other fulfillment partners and systems can also be used. With a little more effort, drop shippers (DSVs) are even permitted to sell on Walmart. You will be in fine shape as long as you can deliver goods to Walmart customers quickly and in unbranded packaging.
- Organize Inventory
After approval, Walmart anticipates that you will upload your items soon. On the application, they will inquire as to how you intend to do this, so start learning today! Choose your approach by reading up on Walmart’s inventory integration possibilities.
- Apply
Now that you are here, it is time for you to apply.
Already Applied? What is the Next Step?
You might hear back from Walmart in anything from a few days to a few weeks. It takes time, and many individuals want to sell at Walmart, so do not worry if you have not heard from them after a month. Be patient and keep working to improve your online store.
Upon approval, Walmart will anticipate a swift start to your sales. After uploading your inventory and meeting all the preparation requirements, you must notify them that you are prepared. They will thoroughly examine everything. You will finally be able to sell on Walmart if they concur.
Why Choose XpertVA?
Our virtual assistants are experts in the field and are up-to-date with all the policies, requirements, and guidelines set out by Walmart. We will not only help you to register successfully but also help you with Walmart account management such as back-office tasks that will help assist the smooth running of your business operations and allow you to maximize your shopper conversion and sales velocity.
Conclusion
It will not be simple to complete the seven stages listed above, but that is how to be accepted to sell on Walmart Marketplace! Do not approach it as setting up an eBay account. Think of it as landing your ideal job. Even though it might need years of expertise, numerous grueling workdays, and a healthy dose of luck, it might also turn out to be the best thing you ever do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it difficult to get approved to sell on Walmart?
Yes, Walmart is very stringent about its rules and specifications. Even though the entire application process just takes a few minutes if you have all the necessary paperwork prepared, your application may be turned down if you do not follow all the rules.
Why did Walmart Marketplace deny my application?
Walmart can deny your request due to any reason. The following are the most frequent justifications for denials: inconsistent financial or business records. insufficient e-commerce expertise. failure to provide adequate customer service.
How much does a Walmart seller make?
According to some estimates, the average Walmart Seller salary in the United States is $138,995, or 149% more than the national average.
How long does Walmart take to approve sellers?
You might hear back from Walmart in anything from a few days to a few weeks. It takes time, and many individuals want to sell at Walmart, so do not worry if you have not heard from them after a month. Be patient and keep working to improve your online store.
Feel free to consult XpertVA’s professionals for successful Walmart application, effective Walmart account creation, and management services to improve your listing ranking, enabling you to improve product visibility, successfully sell on Walmart and grow your business. Book a consultation with our skilled professionals and grow your business.
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