Sellercloud>
  • Products
    • Skustack
    • Skublox
    • 4D Scale
    • Shipbridge
    • Waytopay.me
    • Memaila
    • Turnstock
    • Exactship
    • Imagebridge
    • Quickbridge
    • Receivebridge
  • Features
    • Catalog
    • Inventory
    • Purchasing
    • Omnichannel
    • Orders
    • Accounting
    • Shipping
    • Reporting
    • Web service API
    • Warehouse management
    • Advanced features
  • Integrations
    • Channels
    • Shopping carts
    • Shipping partners
    • Vendors
    • Third-party logistics
    • Payment gateways
    • Repricers
    • Other
    • Apps by Sellercloud
  • Industries
    • Pet Supplies
    • Camping & Hunting Equipment
    • Building Supplies
    • Dental Equipment & Medical Supplies
    • Electrical Power Tools & Accessories
    • Home Security Alarms and Security Cameras
    • Beauty, Cosmetics & Face Creams
    • Arts & Crafts Supplies
    • Auto Spare Parts and Car Accessories
    • Home & Garden
    • Electronics
    • Consumer goods
    • Luxury goods
    • Apparel
    • Automotive
    • General merchandise
    • Industrial products and machinery
    • Health and pharmaceuticals
    • On demand custom merchandise
    • Jewelry
    • Watches
    • Flooring and rugs
  • Pricing
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Press releases
    • Case studies
    • Courses
    • Help center
    • User forum
    • Webinars
  • Help center
  • Company
    • Our story
    • What we do
    • Success stories
    • Careers
Login
Request demo
Sellercloud>
  • Products
    • Skustack
    • Skublox
    • 4D Scale
    • Shipbridge
    • Waytopay.me
    • Memaila
    • Turnstock
    • Exactship
    • Imagebridge
    • Quickbridge
    • Receivebridge
  • Features
    • Catalog
    • Inventory
    • Purchasing
    • Omnichannel
    • Orders
    • Accounting
    • Shipping
    • Reporting
    • Web service API
    • Warehouse management
    • Advanced features
  • Integrations
    • Channels
    • Shopping carts
    • Shipping partners
    • Vendors
    • Third-party logistics
    • Payment gateways
    • Repricers
    • Other
    • Apps by Sellercloud
  • Industries
    • Pet Supplies
    • Camping & Hunting Equipment
    • Building Supplies
    • Dental Equipment & Medical Supplies
    • Electrical Power Tools & Accessories
    • Home Security Alarms and Security Cameras
    • Beauty, Cosmetics & Face Creams
    • Arts & Crafts Supplies
    • Auto Spare Parts and Car Accessories
    • Home & Garden
    • Electronics
    • Consumer goods
    • Luxury goods
    • Apparel
    • Automotive
    • General merchandise
    • Industrial products and machinery
    • Health and pharmaceuticals
    • On demand custom merchandise
    • Jewelry
    • Watches
    • Flooring and rugs
  • Pricing
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Press releases
    • Case studies
    • Courses
    • Help center
    • User forum
    • Webinars
  • Help center
  • Company
    • Our story
    • What we do
    • Success stories
    • Careers
Login
Request demo
logo
Request demo
  • Products
    • Skublox
    • Skustack
    • Waytopay.me
    • Memaila
  • Features
    • Catalog
    • Inventory
    • Purchasing
    • Omnichannel
    • Orders
    • Accounting
    • Shipping
    • Reporting
    • Web service API
    • Warehouse management
    • Advanced features
  • Integrations
    • Channels
    • Shopping carts
    • Shipping partners
    • Vendors
    • Third-party logistics
    • Payment gateways
    • Repricers
    • Other
    • Apps by Sellercloud
  • Industries
    • Furniture and home goods
    • Electronics
    • Consumer goods
    • Luxury goods
    • Apparel
    • Automotive
    • General merchandise
    • Industrial products and machinery
    • Health and pharmaceuticals
    • On demand custom merchandise
    • Jewelry
    • Watches
  • Pricing
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Press releases
    • Courses
    • Help center
    • User forum
    • Webinars
  • Company
    • Our story
    • What we do
    • Success stories
    • Careers
AmazonWalmart

Walmart vs. Amazon: What Sellers Need to Know

May 2, 2017

In recent months, Walmart has made a concerted effort to challenge Amazon’s dominance in the online selling marketplace. As a serious online seller, you may be wondering how the two retail giants differ in their approach to online sellers. Among other questions, you may want to know:

  • Which company’s entry requirements are easier to navigate?
  • What types of sellers do best on each site?
  • If I am a current Amazon seller, will I be able to adapt to Walmart’s fulfillment policies and procedures?

Barriers to Entry for selling on Walmart

Barrier to entry is the biggest difference between Amazon and Walmart right now. Currently, Walmart maintains very strict requirements for its new sellers. In order to sell on Walmart Marketplace, you must be “invited” by the company. The process can take up a month to complete.

At first glance, this can be frustrating, especially if you are eager to sell your product or working against a seasonal deadline. However, the company has a good reason to vet its sellers thoroughly – namely its reputation. Opening the floodgates to dishonest or low-quality sellers can wreak havoc with Walmart’s reputation online, in the press and, ultimately with their customers. In addition, if you do make it through the process, you can take pride in knowing that you have passed the entrance exam of the largest retailer on the face of the planet!

Another factor to consider is that since Walmart is relatively new to the online marketplace, the company wants to ensure that its sellers already have an excellent reputation on Amazon and eBay. To qualify, you should have an order defect rate of below 1%. You seller feedback must be stellar as well. In terms of size, you should be attracting traffic in the thousands and be able to show high levels of monthly revenue.

For those that make it, the process is well worth the effort. For one thing, you will face less competition once you are listed. Walmart’s third-party sellers number in the low thousands.  By contrast, Amazon works with 2 million third-party sellers. The immediate benefit is that your chances of standing out on Walmart are much greater than on Amazon.

Understanding the right niche for each site.

Walmart’s selling proposition focuses on price. One application of this is that the Walmart Buy Box is granted to the company that offers the lowest price. Amazon takes other factors into consideration, such as performance, sales, fulfillment and defect rate, and a number of other variables before awarding its Buy Box.

Product choice is another difference between the two sites. Amazon, with 260 million SKUs, is known as the “Everything Store.” At the same time, remember Walmart’s brick-and-mortar slogan: Save money. Live better. While selection is wide, product categories are more or less limited to home décor, kitchen supplies, tools, electronics and affordable clothing. This means that certain types of higher end luxury brands are unlikely to make it to Walmart Market place. Walmart also prefers brand owners over retailers, favoring sellers that offer specific products associated with a unique brand name.

By contrast, three types of sellers/products tend to do well on Amazon:

  • Unique or private-label products such as custom jewelry.
  • Hobby or niche products
  • Used or refurbished products

Fulfillment & Integration

Walmart is adopting a similar process to Amazon regarding packaging and shipping products to its customers. However, the devil is in the details. Most sellers fall into the trap of rushing to through the initial set up and integration process without paying attention to the details. This is a recipe for disaster – and you will find this out almost as soon as your first sales start coming in. To be successful in operating on both platforms you need to stay consistent with listings, pricing, inventory management, order processing and completion.

Instead of going it alone, speak with a representative at SellerCloud about your integration needs. We have the expertise to determine your compatibility with both Amazon and Walmart Marketplace. Your investment at the beginning of this process can mean the difference between huge sales growth or dropping off the sites and flat-lining your business.

Spread the love
     

Ready to see how Sellercloud can supercharge your business? Schedule a demo today!

AboutJeremy Greenberg
Jeremy Greenberg is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Sellercloud. His strong background in software development and e-commerce have propelled Sellercloud to the forefront of the e-commerce solutions space. Dedication to client success and a persistent desire to innovate have set him apart as a unique authority on e-commerce and a provider of complex, meaningful solutions to online merchants.
The Battle of Amazon vs. Walmart – How Ecommerce Sellers Can Survive, and ThriveThe Battle of Amazon vs. Walmart – How Ecommerce Sellers Can Survive, and ThriveMarch 24, 2017
Walmart is Going Big – but that Doesn’t Mean You Have to Go HomeMay 2, 2017Walmart is Going Big – but that Doesn’t Mean You Have to Go Home
Search
Blog categories
  • E-commerce News and Tips
    • Ecommerce Industry
    • General Tips
  • Features
    • Shipping
    • Website
  • Integrations
    • Amazon
      • Fulfilled By Amazon (FBA)
    • eBay
    • Google Shopping Actions
    • Jet
    • Magento
    • Tophatter
    • Walmart
    • Zapier
  • Apps by Sellercloud
    • Skublox
    • Skustack
    • Shipbridge
    • Memaila
Recent Posts
  • How an Integrated POS System Can Connect Your Online and Offline Retail
    How an Integrated POS System Can Connect Your Online and Offline Retail
    August 10, 2022
  • Use Amazon’s Ship By Region to Scale Your Fulfillment Reach
    Use Amazon’s Ship By Region to Scale Your Fulfillment Reach
    August 3, 2022
  • Warehouse Visualization Technology Leads to Better and More Efficient Workflows
    Warehouse Visualization Technology Leads to Better and More Efficient Workflows
    July 13, 2022
  • How Do Mobile E-Commerce Platforms and WMS Apps Improve Productivity?
    How Do Mobile E-Commerce Platforms and WMS Apps Improve Productivity?
    July 6, 2022
Archives
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • March 2016

Learn best practices for online selling from our elite e-commerce specialists.

Facebook Instagram Linkedin YouTube Twitter
Get the latest blog articles



© Sellercloud® 2010 -