At Walmart’s “Let’s Grow” 2024 Marketplace Summit on August 27, company leaders outlined category expansions, multichannel fulfillment and new features that the company believes will simplify selling across markets to the thousands of sellers attending the event.

Walmart Marketplace, one of the fastest-growing eCommerce platforms, continues to invest in capabilities and solutions to fuel seller success and offer customers endless aisles of products.

“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 e-commerce officer at 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 reported that Walmart Marketplace has achieved over 30 percent sales growth in each of the past four quarters, significantly driving the retailer’s sustained e-commerce success.

Walmart’s global e-commerce sales surpassed $100 billion last year, and its U.S. e-commerce business has delivered double-digit growth for six consecutive quarters. Walmart noted that 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 percent last fiscal year.

Premium Beauty, Pre-Owned and Collectibles
To offer more customer selection and opportunities for sellers, Walmart is growing its marketplace assortment by adding premium beauty products and expanding its range of collectibles and pre-owned products.

  • Walmart is launching Premium Beauty on Walmart Marketplace through a new online experience. The initial assortment of skin care, hair care and hair tools will feature 20 new brands, including CosRx, T3 and Beachwaver. Backed by custom storefronts and editorial content, Premium Beauty at Walmart is the latest retailer’s latest evolution to be the top destination for beauty products for customers to purchase through direct and approved sellers.
  • Walmart Marketplace is introducing Resold at Walmart, the retailer’s first digital space for cross-category and cross-condition pre-owned merchandise from performance-managed sellers. With five million items from over 1,700 sellers, the platform will sell everything from luxury fashion and electronics to collectibles, sporting goods, and more at a value Walmart shoppers expect to find. Resold at Walmart also aligns with and builds on Walmart Restored, where the store sells a collection of refurbished electronics and small appliances powered by Walmart Marketplace.
  • In the Collector shop, sellers can offer preorders, including releases exclusive to Walmart. The site adds pre-owned conditions for collectibles under Resold at Walmart. Through October 31, eligible sellers can use 0% commission fees for collectibles, including action figures, dolls, trading cards, sports memorabilia, comic books, records, and musical instruments.

Supercenters and Super Sellers | Omnichannel Experiences
The combination of Walmart’s digital and physical channels multiplies Walmart’s Marketplace, reaching a broad customer base through physical proximity and seamless digital and physical convenience integration.

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 installation. 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. The program introduces a new way for customers to find sellers’ merchandise in their vicinities. With Walmart’s last-mile delivery network, Walmart LocalFinds will enable faster deliveries and connect customers with local businesses through Walmart’s digital channels. It launches in Atlanta and Dallas this fall, with other cities to follow. 1-800-Flowers.com Inc., the online floral and gifts seller, is the first nationwide company to participate. It will offer hundreds of local stores the opportunity to join Walmart LocalFinds as it rolls out across the U.S.

Unboxing New Fulfillment Solutions
Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) is announcing new ways for sellers to quickly move merchandise across markets and use Walmart to fulfill any e-commerce retail order.

  • Walmart’s new Multichannel Solutions program allows sellers to use WFS to fulfill orders from any e-commerce 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 percent lower. The program launches on September 10, in time for holiday deliveries.
  • Through its new Walmart Cross Border import service for full-container-load shipments, WFS can now directly handle transportation of inbound goods from ports of origin in Asia 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 will offer solutions and perks for sellers to support their Holiday readiness. Last year, Walmart Marketplace achieved its two biggest sales days during the holiday selling season as millions of customers shopped at Walmart.com. The investments and hundreds of enhancements shaped by listening to sellers include:

  • A reimagined Global Seller Center and new app provide 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 September 30.
  • To help sellers scale their holiday business, Walmart Marketplace Capital is expanding to offer qualified sellers access to cash advances of up to $5 million for qualifying sellers.
  • Walmart is now rolling out a new Deals Dashboard that makes it easy for sellers to enroll items in Walmart’s deals events. The feature also provides sellers with more data and insights to improve the quality of offers and make more deals available to customers during the holidays.

“Sellers are looking for a smart path for growth,” said Manish Joneja, senior vice president of 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.”

Image courtesy Walmart