How to Sell on Walmart Marketplace
Before You Apply
Walmart Marketplace is not open to every seller. The application process evaluates your business history, product catalog, and operational capabilities before granting access. Understanding what Walmart looks for in seller applications helps you prepare a strong application and avoid common rejection reasons.
You need a US Business Tax ID (EIN) or a valid business license to apply. Individual sellers without a registered business entity cannot sell on Walmart Marketplace, which is a key difference from eBay and Amazon where individual accounts are available. You also need a W-9 or W-8 tax form, a US business address (PO boxes are not accepted), a product catalog with UPCs (GTINs) for all items, and demonstrated ecommerce experience, either an existing online store or a track record on another marketplace. Walmart reviews applications against these detailed requirements and rejects applicants who do not meet their standards for operational reliability and product quality.
The strongest applications come from sellers who already have an established presence on Amazon or their own ecommerce store and can demonstrate consistent sales volume, positive customer reviews, and reliable fulfillment. If you are brand new to ecommerce, build your track record on eBay or Amazon first, then apply to Walmart after six to twelve months of successful selling. Walmart's selectivity is actually an advantage for approved sellers because it keeps the marketplace less crowded than Amazon, where virtually anyone can create an account.
Step by Step Setup
Go to marketplace.walmart.com and click "Request to Sell." Complete the application form with your business name, physical address, EIN, estimated product catalog size, primary product categories, and existing marketplace or website URLs. Walmart uses this information to assess your fit for their marketplace. Include your Amazon storefront URL if you have one, as this provides evidence of your selling history and customer satisfaction ratings. Applications are reviewed in the order they are received, with typical approval timelines of two to four weeks, though some applications are approved within days and others take up to eight weeks during high-volume periods.
After approval, you receive an email invitation to complete registration in Walmart Seller Center. This multi-step onboarding process includes creating your Partner Profile (company information, customer service details, return policy), configuring shipping settings (shipping methods, regions, transit times), setting up tax information (nexus states, tax collection settings), and connecting your bank account for payment deposits. Walmart pays sellers on a biweekly schedule, depositing earnings for orders completed during each two-week period. Complete every section thoroughly, since incomplete profiles delay your ability to publish listings.
Walmart offers three methods for adding products: single item setup through the Seller Center interface, bulk upload via spreadsheet templates, and API integration through third-party listing tools. For your first batch of products, the single item setup tool works well because it walks you through each required field. Search for your product by UPC or GTIN first, since Walmart may already have a catalog entry that you can match to sell against. If no catalog match exists, create a new listing with a keyword-optimized title (up to 200 characters, but keep the most important keywords in the first 75), at least four high-resolution images (minimum 1000x1000 pixels), detailed product description using Walmart's rich content format, complete product attributes for your category, and competitive pricing. Walmart's algorithm factors price competitiveness heavily into search ranking, so research competitor pricing before setting your own.
Choose between self-fulfillment (Seller Fulfilled) or Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS). Self-fulfillment means you store, pack, and ship orders yourself, giving you full control but requiring your own warehouse or storage space and shipping infrastructure. WFS works similarly to Amazon FBA, where you ship inventory to Walmart's fulfillment centers and they handle storage, packing, shipping, and returns for a fee. WFS products earn a "Fulfilled by Walmart" badge, qualify for two-day shipping tags, and receive a significant ranking boost in search results. WFS fees include storage ($0.75 per cubic foot per month) and fulfillment fees ($3.45 and up per unit depending on weight and dimensions). For sellers already using Amazon FBA, adding WFS is operationally straightforward since the concept and processes are nearly identical.
After publishing your listings, they typically take 24 to 48 hours to appear in Walmart search results. Monitor your Seller Center dashboard for order notifications, performance metrics, and any listing quality alerts. Walmart tracks your Order Defect Rate (cancellations, returns, and negative reviews), On-Time Shipping Rate, and Valid Tracking Rate. Keeping all three metrics above Walmart's thresholds is essential for maintaining your selling privileges and search visibility. Start with your best-selling products from other channels, since proven products reduce the risk of quality issues and returns. Once you have established consistent sales, consider Walmart Sponsored Products advertising to increase visibility for competitive keywords, with typical costs of $0.30 to $1.50 per click depending on category.
Walmart Marketplace Fees Explained
Walmart's fee structure is simpler than Amazon's, with no monthly subscription fee, no listing fees, and category-based referral fees as the only per-sale charge. Referral fees range from 6 percent (personal computers) to 20 percent (jewelry), with most common categories falling between 8 and 15 percent. Apparel is 15 percent, electronics are 8 percent, home and garden is 15 percent, and sporting goods are 15 percent. Compare these to Amazon's 8 to 45 percent referral fees (plus the $39.99 monthly Professional plan), and Walmart's cost advantage becomes clear for most product categories.
If you use Walmart Fulfillment Services, add storage fees and fulfillment fees to your cost calculation. WFS fulfillment fees start at $3.45 for items under half a pound and increase based on weight and dimensions. Storage fees are $0.75 per cubic foot per month for standard items, with long-term storage surcharges for inventory that sits for more than 365 days. The full marketplace fees comparison provides side-by-side calculations showing your effective cost on Walmart versus Amazon for typical product scenarios.
Why Walmart Marketplace Is Worth the Effort
The primary advantage of Walmart Marketplace for established sellers is less competition for the same products. While Amazon has over 2 million active third-party sellers, Walmart Marketplace has approximately 150,000. This means fewer sellers competing for the Buy Box, less aggressive price undercutting, and lower advertising costs per click. Products that face 15 to 20 competing sellers on Amazon might face only 3 to 5 on Walmart, dramatically improving your odds of winning the sale.
Walmart's customer demographic also skews differently than Amazon's. Walmart shoppers tend to be more price-sensitive and value-oriented, making categories like household essentials, grocery, pet supplies, and basic electronics particularly strong. Private label products that compete on value rather than brand prestige perform especially well on Walmart's platform. The Walmart brand itself communicates value and trust, which benefits third-party sellers whose products appear alongside Walmart's own inventory.
The integration between walmart.com and Walmart's 4,700 physical US stores creates additional opportunities like in-store returns for marketplace orders, which increases buyer confidence for higher-priced items. As Walmart continues investing billions in its ecommerce infrastructure, early sellers who establish strong sales histories and high performance metrics will benefit from the growing traffic and improving seller tools.