Walmart.com receives hundreds of millions of visits each month, making it one of the most valuable online retail destinations for sellers who want to reach shoppers beyond Amazon. Unlike Amazon, Walmart operates an invite or application-based onboarding process, and the platform has specific requirements for sellers.
This step-by-step guide explains exactly how to sell on Walmart Marketplace in 2026, from the application through to optimizing your listings for growth.
Who Can Sell on Walmart Marketplace?
Walmart Marketplace is open to businesses, not individual sellers. To be approved, you generally need:
- A registered US business entity (LLC, corporation, or equivalent)
- A US business tax ID (EIN)
- A US business address
- A track record of selling online (your own website, Amazon, or another marketplace)
- Products that comply with Walmart's prohibited items policy
Walmart reviews each application manually. Approval is not guaranteed, and turnaround time varies. Having an established brand and clean seller history improves your chances.
Submit Your Seller Application
Go to marketplace.walmart.com and click "Request to Sell." You will fill out a form with your business details, product categories, and current sales channels. Walmart uses this information to evaluate whether you are a good fit for the marketplace.
Complete Partner Profile Setup
Once approved, you will receive an invitation to create your Seller Center account. This includes setting up your business profile, adding your bank account for payouts, and providing your W-9 tax information. Walmart pays sellers on a weekly basis after a short holding period.
Review Walmart's Policies and Agreements
Before listing, read Walmart's Retailer Agreement and content guidelines carefully. Walmart has strict standards for item content, images, and pricing. Violations can result in listing suppression or account suspension. Key policies cover prohibited products, return requirements, and customer service standards.
Set Up Your Item Catalog
You can add products to Walmart Seller Center in three ways: single item setup (good for small catalogs), bulk upload via spreadsheet, or API integration if you use a multichannel listing tool. Each item requires a product title, main image, price, category, short description, and at least one product identifier (UPC, GTIN, or EAN).
Optimize Your Listings for Walmart Search
Walmart's search algorithm, called Walmart Search Engine (WSE), ranks items based on relevance and performance signals including price, ratings, and fulfillment method. To rank well:
- Write clear, keyword-rich titles (Walmart recommends 50 to 75 characters)
- Use high-resolution images on a white background for the main image
- Complete all available attribute fields for your category
- Price competitively, as Walmart enforces its price parity policy
Choose a Fulfillment Method
Walmart offers two main fulfillment options for third-party sellers. Seller-Fulfilled (DropShip Vendor or DSV): You store and ship products yourself. You are responsible for meeting Walmart's on-time delivery rate requirements. Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS): Walmart stores and ships your products from their fulfillment centers, similar to Amazon FBA. WFS listings earn the "Fulfilled by Walmart" badge, which can improve conversion and search rank. WFS requires sending inventory to Walmart's warehouses in advance.
Launch and Monitor Performance
After your items go live, monitor them in Seller Center. Key metrics to track include: item content score, conversion rate, cancel rate, and on-time delivery rate. Walmart measures seller performance closely, and accounts that fall below their benchmarks may receive warnings or have listings suspended. Respond to customer questions and reviews promptly to build your seller reputation.
Walmart Seller Fees
Walmart does not charge a monthly subscription fee to sell on Marketplace. Instead, Walmart charges a referral fee per sale, which varies by category. Referral fees are similar in structure to Amazon's selling fees. If you use WFS, there are additional fulfillment and storage fees based on item size and weight.
Walmart Marketplace vs Amazon: Key Differences
Walmart Marketplace tends to have lower seller competition than Amazon in many categories, which can mean lower advertising costs and easier ranking for new listings. However, Walmart's customer base and overall traffic volume are smaller than Amazon's. Many brands find success running both channels simultaneously as part of a multichannel strategy.
Getting Started the Right Way
Walmart Marketplace rewards sellers who take content quality, fulfillment reliability, and customer service seriously from day one. Getting the setup right initially saves a lot of corrective work later. If you are already selling on Amazon and want to expand to Walmart without doubling your operational workload, a managed eCommerce service can handle the full setup and ongoing management for you.
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From application support to listing creation and WFS setup, our team manages your entire Walmart Marketplace launch. See which plan fits your business.
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