Selling on Walmart Marketplace and Amazon may seem similar, but each platform requires its own operating process. Both allow third-party sellers to list and sell products, but the standard operating procedures needed to grow sales and gain market share are different. In this article, I’ll focus specifically on Walmart Marketplace, not DSV or Retail Link.
Before diving into Walmart Marketplace, it helps to understand Walmart’s growth from its first store in 1962 through 2006. Walmart is a retail powerhouse, and many of its most loyal customers are based in the middle of America.
What Are the Five SOPs for Walmart 3P?
The standard operating processes (SOPs) for Walmart Marketplace are a set of guidelines I recommend to sellers. These SOPs cover everything from pricing to using Walmart services and partners effectively.
Offer competitive prices. Walmart is known for low prices, so offering competitive pricing is essential if you want to succeed on the platform. As of now, there are still fewer high-ticket items on Walmart.com than on some other marketplaces, although that may change over time.
You can use tools like Jungle Scout or Keepa to monitor competitor pricing and make sure your offers stay competitive. Another practical method is simply opening the Walmart app, reviewing comparable products, and checking whether your margins allow room for stronger pricing.
Run promotions and discounts. Promotions and discounts are a strong way to attract new customers and encourage repeat purchases. Walmart Marketplace offers several promotional options, from rollbacks to clearance events. Running promotions consistently increases your chances of being included in email campaigns, which can dramatically increase sales 🚀
Use Walmart’s marketing tools. Walmart provides several tools that can help sellers reach more customers and grow sales. These include:
- Walmart Connect (advertising)
- Bazaarvoice (customer reviews)
- Fulfilled by Walmart (Walmart’s 3PL solution)
Enhance your product listings. Your product listings are one of the most important factors in whether a customer decides to buy. Make sure your listings are accurate, complete, and persuasive. Use strong images and videos to present the product clearly and build trust.
Walmart Marketplace also offers a section called Growth Opportunities. This tool provides an optimization score over time, and in some cases you can reach 100% optimization.
Here is an example of that rating:
Content & Discoverability, Offer, Ratings & Reviews, and Post-Purchase are some of the main factors that help products rank better in search. If your listing is above 90%, it is generally considered optimized. One downside to optimization on Walmart Marketplace is that results can take time to appear after changes are made.
Be patient. It takes time to grow sales on Walmart. Do not expect results overnight. Stay patient and keep improving your pricing, listings, promotions, and customer service. Over time, those efforts can create strong growth.
If you want to expand beyond Shopify or Amazon, Walmart Marketplace is a strong place to start.
Link →marketplace.walmart.com
Setting up the account can take less than five minutes, and account verification can take around ten more if you already have the required paperwork ready.
I have worked with Walmart for ten years across Retail Link, DSV drop shipping, and Marketplace. Depending on the size of your company, Walmart Marketplace may or may not be the right fit. Feel free to reach out on LinkedIn if you have questions about Walmart.