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How to Start Selling on Walmart through Shopify Integration

Photo from Walmart

Earlier this year, retail giant, Walmart announced that it partnered with one of the world’s leading e-Commerce platforms, Shopify. This deal opened up Walmart’s Marketplace to Shopify’s business sellers to expand the reach of participating brands and reach bigger audiences by putting them in front of Walmart’s audiences.

Initially, the goal was to add 1,200 Shopify merchants into Walmart’s marketplace which may seem limited but you can still get your foot in the door by applying. The partnership is a win-win situation for both parties as Walmart gains more merchants (in an effort to beat Amazon), and Shopify merchants get a wider reach.

Today, Shopify is one of the largest brands in Canada and is also the leading choice for eCommerce platforms.

What is the Walmart Marketplace?

It is an eCommerce platform owned and operated by Walmart. It partners with marketplace sellers to bring in a variety of brands and products to consumers. Just like eBay or Amazon, it allows third-party sellers to list their products on its platform.

Selling on Walmart Marketplace can help merchants get more visibility for their products especially since they have 120 million active visitors on their platform. Products listed here also appear on Walmart’s search results. It’s a great opportunity for sellers to be able to add another channel for their products as well as get a wider reach.

That sounds great and all, but how do you apply? Right now, Walmart is only taking in 1,200 merchants from Shopify and before you can start selling on their platform, you will need to get approved. We’ll break down the steps and requirements you’ll need to start selling on Walmart thru Shopify.

Below are the initial requirements you’ll need as a seller before you apply:

Sellers

  • US Business Tax ID (EIN) and Form W-9
  • History of marketplace or eCommerce success
  • Track-record of first-class customer service
  • Operations that meet Walmart Seller Performance Standards

Products must meet these requirements:

  • Have GTIN/UPC GS1 Company Prefix Number
  • Offer competitive pricing
  • Be fulfilled from a B2C US warehouse with a returns capability
  • Comply with Walmart Prohibited Products policy

First off, you’ll need these two important things:

  • Make sure that you already have a functional Shopify account. The account will need to have a history and a good track record to pass Walmart’s approval and meet their standards. New Shopify stores may have a hard time getting approved.
  • Approved Walmart Marketplace Seller account. If you already have a successful Shopify store, you can take the next step which is to apply for Walmart. You need to get an approved account before you can use the Walmart Marketplace App. If you do not have an account yet, check below for the steps on how to apply.

How to apply as a Walmart Marketplace Seller:

Photo from Walmart

You will need to fill out the Walmart application which can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to complete. Make sure you know the following before you begin:

  • Your W-9 and Employee Identification Number 
  • The legal name of your business 
  • The login to your Payoneer account (or bank information to set up a new Payoneer account)

The Walmart Marketplace Application form

You can only proceed to the next steps (connecting Walmart to Shopify) if you are approved or conditionally approved

Approval from Walmart can take anywhere from 2 minutes up to 2 weeks. 

Tips to get approved on Walmart Marketplace

Walmart merchants go through a strict process as the retail company wants to provide its customers with the best possible service and products.

  • Establish your Shopify store. You will need experience and a good track record. It helps if you also have other channels like eBay and Amazon where customers can leave reviews.
  • You must be a registered business. Walmart only wants to work with reputable merchants. Upon application you’ll need to fill in information such as your business tax ID, address, tax forms, and other pertinent information to prove your business is legitimate.
  • You need to provide first-class customer service. One basis that Walmart looks at is through your eBay feedback score or Amazon seller rating, as well as the following:
    •  Sellers must respond to all customer and Walmart Customer Care inquiries within 48 hours*, with high-quality responses
    • High-quality responses must be written by someone from your staff or you, and not automated
    • Respond to any Better Business Bureau or Attorney General inquiries within one hour.
    • Have a dedicated customer service support number. This number must not be a cellphone number, a residential number, Google Voice or any internet telephone service, invalid numbers that are directed to another business or company, or international numbers.
  • Sell unique and compelling products
  • Think about your products and check whether they are already listed on Walmart.com and if they sell well. Walmart wants unique products that aren’t yet available on its platform as well as items that perform well. Walmart will evaluate your products upon application. Also, do check out the prohibited items list.

  • Have competitive prices
  • Overpriced items have a big chance of getting rejected so review your prices beforehand. You can check other platforms such as eBay or Amazon for similar products. Your items don’t have to be priced too cheap but you’ll need to stay close to other prices on the market.

    These are just some of our tips. For a more thorough guide on what Walmart is looking for in their merchants, check here.

    Connecting Walmart to Shopify

    If you’ve passed Walmart’s standards, congratulations! You may start setting up your Walmart account. 

    • Download the free Walmart Marketplace app from the Shopify App Store, install, and log in to your Walmart Seller account.

       

      • Start uploading and publishing your products. The new Walmart app allows you to do bulk setups for new product listing and connect existing listings from Shopify to Walmart. Check your inventory on both accounts to make sure that everything is in order.

        Other apps have been developed as Walmart’s own app has gotten some disappointing reviews. Clients have reported that it’s buggy and that the dashboard is not the most user-friendly.

        If you are having trouble with the Walmart Marketplace app, try Walmart Integration, Walmart Order and Qty Sync, or Walmart Importer.

        • Check if your listings are successful. You’ll need to check out your catalog to confirm that all your listings have been published on Walmart. It should look something like this:

        • Launch on Walmart. Once you’ve uploaded products, you can start fulfilling orders through the Shopify platform. From there you’ll need to configure shipping and tracking. Make sure that orders are fulfilled otherwise they will automatically get canceled.

        Once you launch, you’ll be expected to sell fast so make sure to review your products, pricing strategy, marketing strategy, and business strategy. Completing the aforementioned steps won’t be easy but it may be well worth it. Walmart is a great platform to get your products across a bigger audience which in the end, can really help your business. There’s no harm in applying so do try and best of luck!

        We hope you learned something from this article, and if you are looking for help in marketing, designing, or building your Shopify website, contact your Shopify experts at Webinopoly here.

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