Walmart Marketplace Accelerates Growth; Launches Category Expansion

Walmart leaders unveiled several initiatives today to thousands of sellers attending Let’s Grow! 2024 Walmart Marketplace Seller Summit. Notable announcements from the summit include category expansion, multichannel fulfillment and new features that simplify selling across markets.

Walmart Marketplace, one of the fastest-growing eCommerce platforms, continues to invest in capabilities and solutions to fuel seller success and offer customers an endless aisle of items they need, want and love.

“We’re executing strategic priorities at Walmart that are helping us to become the customers’ first choice – every day, every season, for every item. Walmart Marketplace is a key component of that mission,” said Tom Ward, executive vice president and chief eCommerce officer, Walmart U.S. “We know the importance of personalized, seamless omnichannel experiences, and Walmart continues to advance its digital and fulfillment capabilities, including the new categories and features we announced today, that enhance the overall customer and seller experience on Walmart.com.”

Walmart Marketplace has achieved more than 30% sales growth in each of the past four quarters and is significantly driving the retailer’s sustained eCommerce success. Walmart’s global eCommerce sales surpassed $100 billion last year, and its U.S. eCommerce business has delivered double digit growth for six consecutive quarters. The sustained momentum stems from innovative customer experiences and an omnichannel assortment that is increasing as more independent sellers choose Walmart as a smart path for growth. The number of sellers listing items on Walmart.com grew 20% last fiscal year.

Premium Beauty, pre-owned and collectibles 

To offer more selection for customers and more opportunities for sellers, Walmart is growing its Marketplace assortment by adding Premium Beauty and expanding its range of Collectibles and pre-owned merchandise.

• Premium Beauty: Walmart is launching Premium Beauty on Walmart Marketplace through a new online experience. More than 20 new brands, including COSRX, T3 and Beachwaver, are featured in the initial assortment of skin care, hair care and hair tool products. Backed by custom storefronts and editorial content, Premium Beauty at Walmart creates an elevated, seamless brand experience. The expansion of Premium Beauty to Marketplace is the latest evolution of Walmart as a top beauty destination and deepens customer trust through direct and approved sellers.
  
  
• Pre-Owned: Walmart Marketplace is introducing Resold at Walmart, its first digital destination for cross-category and cross-condition pre-owned items from performance-managed sellers. With five million items from more than 1,700 sellers, the integrated assortment offers customers a growing selection of goods from luxury fashion and electronics to collectibles, sporting goods and more at the value they expect from Walmart. By extending the life of these products, Resold at Walmart aligns with our commitment to make the more sustainable choice the everyday choice and builds on the success of Walmart Restored, a collection of refurbished electronics and small appliances powered by Walmart Marketplace.
  
  
• Collectibles: Walmart is enriching experiences for collectors, bringing customers new ways to secure highly sought after collectibles and connecting sellers to the rapidly growing market of enthusiasts shopping its aisles. In the Collector shop, sellers can now enable preorders to build customer anticipation for drops, including releases exclusive to Walmart. The experience adds pre-owned conditions for collectibles under Resold at Walmart. Eligible sellers can take advantage of 0% commission fees for collectibles and more through Oct. 31, including action figures, dolls, trading cards, sports memorabilia, comic books, records and musical instruments.

Supercenters and super sellers: Unmatched omnichannel experiences

The combination of Walmart’s digital and physical channels is a force multiplier for Walmart Marketplace. No other marketplace can offer Walmart’s broad customer reach, physical proximity and seamless integration of digital and physical convenience. 

Earlier this year, Walmart connected Marketplace tire sellers with its Auto Care Centers at 2,300 Walmart Supercenters. Customers can now order eligible tires from sellers online and have them shipped to a local Supercenter for easy installation. Additionally, more than 4,600 Walmart stores nationwide accept Marketplace returns. 

Walmart previewed Walmart LocalFinds to further bridge the gap between online and offline shopping with direct pickup and delivery from sellers’ physical stores. It introduces a new way for customers to discover sellers’ merchandise in their vicinities. Paired with Walmart’s last mile delivery network, Walmart LocalFinds will enable speedy deliveries and connect shoppers with local businesses through Walmart’s digital channels. It launches this fall in Atlanta and Dallas, with other cities to follow. 1-800-Flowers.com Inc., a leading provider of online floral and gifts, is the first nationwide seller to participate. It will offer hundreds of local stores the opportunity to join Walmart LocalFinds as it rolls out to their towns.

Unboxing new fulfillment solutions

Walmart continues to leverage its next-generation supply chain and advanced technology to simplify and streamline fulfillment for sellers at some of the lowest rates in the industry. Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) is announcing new ways for sellers to quickly move merchandise across markets and use Walmart to fulfill any eCommerce retail order.

• Multichannel Logistics: Walmart’s new Multichannel Solutions program allows sellers to use WFS to fulfill orders from any eCommerce site via Walmart’s supply chain. Walmart will fulfill orders and manage returns while offering plain, unbranded packaging, fast, reliable shipping and competitive rates averaging 15% lower than the competition1. Walmart is launching the program on Sept. 10, in time for Holiday deliveries.
  
  
• Cross Border Fulfillment: Through its new Walmart Cross Border import service for full-container-load shipments, WFS can now handle transportation of inbound goods from ports of origin in Asia directly to WFS facilities across the U.S. 

Walmart is also opening its carrier network to sellers for full truckload shipments. Sellers using the Walmart Preferred Carrier program through WFS can now choose to ship a few items or an entire truckload at special rates through carriers vetted by Walmart.  

Heading into Holiday with new seller solutions

Walmart is enabling several solutions and perks for sellers to support their Holiday readiness. Last year, Walmart Marketplace achieved its two biggest sales days ever during the Holiday selling season as millions of customers shopped Walmart.com. The investments and hundreds of enhancements shaped by listening to sellers include: 

• A reimagined Global Seller Center and new app provide seamless onboarding for eligible sellers in any market, so they can cross borders and go global by selling in the U.S, Mexico, Chile and Canada. Sellers attending Let’s Grow! 2024 will be the first to access the new cross-listing capability and free translations.
  
  
• Walmart is waiving peak season storage fees for sellers who inbound their inventory to WFS fulfillment centers through Sept. 30. Sellers are encouraged to send their inventory as early as possible to meet customer demand for Holiday deal shopping and Walmart events2.
  
  
• To help sellers scale their Holiday business, Walmart Marketplace Capital is expanding to offer qualified sellers access to cash advances. This can be up to $5 million for any qualifying seller.
  
  
• Walmart is now rolling out a new Deals Dashboard that makes it easy for sellers to enroll items in Walmart’s popular deals events. The feature also provides sellers more data and insights to improve the quality of offers and make more deals available to customers during Holiday.  

“Sellers are looking for a smart path for growth,” said Manish Joneja, senior vice president, Walmart Marketplace and Walmart Fulfillment Services. “We’re bringing all the pieces together to be much more than a marketplace and investing in new ways for sellers to serve customers as we grow together.” 

1 Fulfillment cost per item, on average. Walmart first-party data, January 2024-June 2024.

2 Conditions apply. Sellers must inbound their inventory to WFS fulfillment centers by Sept 30. Peak season is 10/1 – 12/31 and storage fees are $1.50 above regular pricing for units stored more than 30 days. Storage costs will be automatically adjusted for the duration of the promotion.

Source : Walmart

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