Want More Multi-Channel Selling Options? Try the Walmart Marketplace

By Rob Zaleski
Oct 14, 2016

Are you looking to expand the reach of your product catalog online and grow sales? Online marketplaces are a great way to do just that, with some prominent players like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay that put your products in front of millions of people you wouldn’t normally reach. Not one to be outdone in retail, Walmart has invested a large amount of effort into the online marketplace game.

Walmart has signaled their newfound effort with moves like purchasing Jet.com for $3 billion in cash, and more recently, diverted investments from future brick and mortar Supercenters into growing their eCommerce presence.

Invitations are open for the Walmart Marketplace

Although Walmart launched their marketplace back in 2009, they are redoubling efforts to invite new sellers. Request an invite on the Walmart Marketplace page.

Walmart isn’t developing their marketplace like Amazon Seller Central where virtually anyone can become a seller and is much more selective.

According to the Walmart Marketplace sign up page, to be a qualified seller you need:

A good reputation (likely existence history of being a long time seller online with consistent positive feedback)
Sales projections (proof of past sales)
Alignment with Walmart’s values (my interpretation here is that you sell products Walmart would deem acceptable to sell)

The form itself is simple and straightforward, but the field to pay attention most to is “Product Categories,” as it is said that Walmart favors sellers that “fill the gaps” in Walmart’s own product catalog.

Is Walmart’s focus on the online marketplace space a good thing for eCommerce sellers?

While Walmart dominating retail space isn’t seen as a positive by many sellers, their efforts in eCommerce can only help online sellers because they will have the ability to sell on Walmart’s site. It will likely contribute to the overall growth of the eCommerce industry, as opposed to stealing a section of the market away from large and small sellers.

If you have the capacity to sell and manage a product catalog that expands across multiple online marketplaces, Walmart might be the perfect fit to add another revenue stream to your business.

How to manage selling on multiple channels

If you want to sell on Walmart and other marketplaces, but find the idea daunting and logistically difficult, one great way to reduce the difficulty of selling products across multiple channels is to use ShippingEasy as the hub for your shipping and inventory needs We connect to the Walmart Marketplace along with other popular online marketplaces like eBay, Amazon, and Etsy.

Conclusion

If you’re an eCommerce seller, adding Walmart to your channels presents a great opportunity for potential new revenue. Walmart Marketplace is a big potential opportunity, and taking advantage early on can help boost your revenue this Holiday season.