Walmart Marketplace has crossed 200,000 active sellers and attracts over 500 million monthly visitors. For US ecommerce brands, it’s no longer a secondary channel worth considering. It’s one of the most significant growth opportunities available right now.
The timing is particularly good. Walmart’s 2026 New-Seller Savings program offers up to $75,000 in total value for new marketplace sellers who go live after February 1, 2026, including discounts on referral fees and credits on fulfillment and advertising fees during your first year. Start your application and unlock New-Seller Savings here.
But Walmart Marketplace is not Amazon. The application process is stricter, and small mistakes can slow you down or stop your application altogether. The seller requirements are higher. And the path to visibility works differently than what Amazon sellers are used to.
This guide walks you through every step from confirming eligibility to making your first sale, and covers how to manage your Walmart presence alongside your other channels without adding operational overhead.
Step 1: Confirm You Meet the Requirements
Walmart’s application is selective by design. Before you invest time in the process, confirm your business meets the requirements outlined in Walmart’s official seller guide.
What Walmart requires:
- A Business Tax ID or Business License Number (SSN is not accepted)
- Supporting documents that verify your Business Name and Address
- History of Marketplace or eCommerce success
- Products with GTIN/UPC GS1 Company Prefix Numbers
- A B2C U.S. warehouse with returns capability, or use of Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS)
Walmart requires consistent business information across your legal documents, your website, and your bank account. If your EIN says one business name and your bank account says another, expect a verification flag.
What Walmart is actually looking for:
Walmart prefers sellers with high-quality, high-volume products and a proven track record on other marketplaces like Amazon or eBay. Even one prohibited item in your catalog will result in automatic denial, so review Walmart’s Prohibited Products Policy before applying.
Step 2: Submit Your Application
Start your application at marketplace.walmart.com. Use a business email tied to your domain rather than a generic address, and ensure your business name and address matches your supporting documentation exactly.
What you’ll need ready:
- Business information including your entity type and tax registration. Your tax registration must precisely match your IRS records.
- A government-issued ID for the applicant or legal representative
- Product categories, catalog size, and your planned integration method
The approval process typically takes 2-4 weeks. The best way to speed it up is to submit accurate information that matches your official records and respond quickly to any verification requests.
Once approved, you’ll receive access to Walmart Seller Center, the hub for managing everything from listings to orders to performance reporting. Walmart also offers a free Seller Academy certification course covering the full onboarding process, seller standards, and account setup. It’s worth completing before you go live.
Step 3: Complete Seller Center Onboarding
After approval, you’ll complete a five-step onboarding process covering your seller profile, tax setup, payment processor connection, and fulfillment configuration.
Payment setup: You must choose one of two payment processors, Payoneer or Hyperwallet, when registering. Walmart pays out via direct deposit every two weeks.
New seller payment hold: As a new seller, you’ll experience a New Seller Payment Hold after you begin selling to allow time to build sales history and credibility. The timeframe varies by country of incorporation.
Brand registration: If you’re a brand owner with registered trademarks, the Walmart Brand Portal allows you to manage your brands, submit intellectual property claims, and track claim statuses.
Seller app: Once your account is live, download the Walmart Seller app (available on iOS and Android) to manage orders, update inventory, and track performance from your phone.
Step 4: Choose Your Fulfillment Method
How you fulfill Walmart orders significantly affects your search visibility, your Buy Box eligibility, and your seller performance metrics.
Option A: Merchant Fulfilled (Self-Fulfill)
You or your 3PL fulfill orders directly. This gives you the most control and the lowest upfront cost, but it places the entire operational burden on your team. Walmart expects on-time shipment rates above 99%, so your fulfillment operation needs to be tight from day one.
Option B: Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) (Recommended)
WFS is Walmart’s own fulfillment program. You send inventory to Walmart’s fulfillment centers, and Walmart handles picking, packing, shipping, customer service, and returns.
According to Walmart, WFS rates average 15% less than other marketplace fulfillment providers, and items with the “Fulfilled by Walmart” tag and two-day delivery promises see significant GMV growth on average.
WFS has no signup or monthly subscription fees. You pay a fulfillment fee based on weight and dimensions, starting at $3.45 for items under 1 lb, plus a storage fee based on cubic volume and duration. Use Walmart’s WFS Cost Estimator to calculate fees for your specific catalog before committing.
For brands managing multiple channels, this is where having the right platform matters. Base integrates directly with WFS, so your Walmart inventory is managed alongside every other channel.
WFS also unlocks the Pro Seller path. Walmart’s Pro Seller program rewards consistent, high-performing sellers with a visible Pro Seller Badge, faster payouts, referral fee discounts, and improved search placement. Pro Seller listings get 1.7x the conversion of the average Marketplace listing. Walmart explicitly recommends WFS as the fastest path to achieving Pro Seller status, since WFS automatically meets Walmart’s shipping speed requirements. Learn more about the Pro Seller program here.
Step 5: Build and Optimize Your Product Listings
Getting your listings right on Walmart is different from Amazon, and it’s one of the most common places new sellers underperform.
Listing methods available:
Walmart offers several listing options: Seller Center manual setup for smaller catalogs, bulk upload for larger ones, and an AI-Powered Listing Tool with a Smart Assistant that provides 24/7 real-time support. Walmart’s item setup guide includes step-by-step tutorials, downloadable templates, and videos to help you get products live faster.
For brands managing a large catalog across multiple channels, the most efficient approach is API integration. Base connects directly to Walmart’s API, so products already in your Base catalog can be pushed to Walmart with channel-specific formatting applied automatically. Title character limits, image requirements, and attribute mapping are all handled by Base, so you’re not manually reformatting listings that already exist on other channels or your D2C site.
Walmart listing requirements to know:
- Titles are limited to 75 characters
- Main images require a white background
- Products must have GS1-verified GTIN/UPC numbers. If you sell private label products without a product ID, you can request a GTIN exemption through Seller Center.
- Required attributes vary by category. Fill out every relevant field, as completeness directly affects search visibility.
What drives ranking on Walmart’s search:
Unlike Amazon, where sponsored placements can dominate page one, Walmart’s organic ranking plays a larger role. The algorithm weighs item content quality, pricing competitiveness, fulfillment speed, and seller performance score. Getting all four right matters more than outspending competitors on ads.
Step 6: Manage Performance Metrics
Walmart tracks your seller performance through a Seller Scorecard, and your metrics directly affect your search visibility and account standing.
Key metrics to stay on top of:
- On-time shipment rate. Walmart expects 99%+ consistently.
- Cancellation rate. Keep it as low as possible. Cancellations hurt both your scorecard and customer trust.
- Valid tracking rate. Every shipment needs a trackable carrier.
- Customer service response time. Walmart expects responses within one business day.
If your operations currently have issues with late shipments, high cancellations, or slow support response times, fix those before launching on Walmart. Marketplace performance standards are a major determinant of long-term success, and it’s harder to recover from a poor start than to build good metrics from day one.
For multichannel sellers, this is where operational visibility becomes critical. If your orders are spread across multiple dashboards and your fulfillment team is context-switching between platforms, SLA compliance gets inconsistent fast. Base pulls Walmart orders into the same unified order panel as every other channel, with Walmart-specific SLAs applied automatically so the right shipping priority is always surfaced without manual review.
Step 7: Use Assortment Growth to Expand Your Catalog Strategically
Once your core listings are live and your performance metrics are stable, the next lever most sellers overlook is catalog expansion. Walmart makes this easier than most brands realize through a built-in tool called Assortment Growth.
The Assortment Growth dashboard in Seller Center gives you personalized product and brand recommendations based on real Walmart customer demand signals. These are items customers are actively searching for on Walmart and across the broader market that you are not currently selling. Walmart calls them Customer Favorites.
The dashboard has four main components worth knowing:
- Recommendations. A personalized view of Customer Favorite items suggested for your business based on your existing catalog and current demand trends. The fastest way to find new items to add.
- Item Explorer. A broader view of in-demand products across categories, including items outside your current catalog, so you can evaluate expansion opportunities.
- Brand Explorer. A brand-level view highlighting brands customers are actively searching for, helping you identify which brand relationships are worth pursuing.
- Workspace. Where you save and organize recommendations you want to act on, at your own pace.
Recommendations are refreshed periodically as customer demand and search behavior evolve, so it is worth checking the dashboard regularly rather than treating it as a one-time exercise.
Base supports Walmart’s Assortment Growth program, making it easier for sellers to act on catalog recommendations and expand their Walmart presence as part of their broader multichannel operations.
Step 8: Build Visibility With Advertising and Reviews
Once your listings are live and your operations are stable, it’s time to invest in visibility.
Walmart Connect advertising:
Walmart’s advertising platform offers Sponsored Products, Onsite Display, and Brand Shop and Shelf placements. Walmart’s average CPC runs $0.30 to $1.50 per click, significantly cheaper than Amazon’s average. For new listings without organic ranking history, a modest advertising budget accelerates visibility while organic performance builds. Get started at advertising.walmart.com.
Customer reviews:
Unlike Amazon, Walmart allows sellers to email customers post-purchase to request reviews within their policies. Reviews directly affect your listing’s conversion rate and search placement. Walmart’s ratings and reviews guide covers how reviews are generated and how to manage them. Building a review strategy from day one rather than waiting until you have traction gives your listings a compounding advantage over time.
Managing Walmart Alongside Your Other Channels
The biggest operational mistake brands make when launching on Walmart is treating it as a standalone project, building separate processes, monitoring a separate dashboard, managing inventory in a separate system.
At low volume that’s manageable. As your Walmart business grows, that siloed approach creates real problems: inventory that doesn’t sync fast enough across channels, order routing that requires manual intervention, and performance metrics that slip because nobody caught the issue in time.
The brands that scale Walmart successfully alongside other channels, and their D2C stores do it through a single operations platform. Base connects Walmart (including WFS inventory) alongside every other channel you sell on. Listings are managed from one catalog. Inventory syncs in real time across all channels the moment a sale happens. Orders flow into a unified management panel with channel-specific rules applied automatically.
Adding Walmart through Base doesn’t add operational overhead. It adds a revenue channel.
What to Expect in Your First 90 Days
Weeks 1-2: Application review and approval. Use this time to get your fulfillment operation ready and your product catalog formatted for Walmart’s requirements.
Weeks 3-4: Onboarding, listing setup, and going live. Focus on getting your top-performing SKUs live first and don’t try to push your entire catalog immediately.
Days 30-60: Your first performance metrics data starts to accumulate. Monitor your Seller Scorecard closely and address any fulfillment issues immediately before they compound.
Days 60-90: Begin building your advertising presence and review solicitation process. With 90 days of data, you’ll have a clearer picture of which products are gaining traction and where to double down.
Walmart evaluates sellers for Pro Seller status after a minimum of 90 days, requiring at least 100 completed orders and six performance metric thresholds met. Building clean metrics from the start puts you on the fastest path to Pro Seller and the 1.7x conversion lift that comes with it.
The Bottom Line
Walmart Marketplace is one of the best growth opportunities available to US ecommerce brands right now. Less competition than Amazon, a massive and loyal customer base, and a fulfillment program that’s both cost-effective and conversion-boosting.
Getting approved takes preparation. Getting traction takes operational discipline. For brands that approach it seriously with clean listings, reliable fulfillment, and a platform that handles the operational complexity, Walmart is a channel that rewards the investment.
Start your application at marketplace.walmart.com.
Ready to connect Walmart to the rest of your operation? Base offers a free 14-day trial. Connect your Walmart store, sync your inventory, and start managing listings and orders alongside every other channel you sell on from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling on Walmart Marketplace
How long does it take to get approved to sell on Walmart Marketplace?
The approval process typically takes 2 to 4 weeks from the time you submit a complete application. Sellers who have all documents in order, a clear ecommerce track record, and a clean product catalog can sometimes get approved in under a week. The most common cause of delays is mismatched business information across your legal documents, bank account, and website. Make sure everything is consistent before you apply.
How much does it cost to sell on Walmart Marketplace?
Signing up is completely free. Walmart does not charge monthly subscription fees or listing fees. You pay a referral fee on each item sold, which ranges from 6% to 15% depending on your product category. If you use Walmart Fulfillment Services, additional fulfillment fees apply starting at $3.45 per unit, plus storage fees based on cubic volume and duration.
Is Walmart Marketplace worth it for brands already selling on Amazon?
Yes, and the timing has rarely been better. Walmart Marketplace has significantly less seller competition than Amazon in most categories, which means better Buy Box odds and stronger organic visibility for brands that are already established elsewhere. The customer base is large, loyal, and distinct from Amazon’s. Brands that treat Walmart as a first-class channel rather than an Amazon overflow channel tend to see the strongest results.
What is Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) and should I use it?
WFS is Walmart’s own fulfillment program, similar in concept to Amazon FBA. You send inventory to Walmart’s fulfillment centers and Walmart handles picking, packing, shipping, customer service, and returns. Products fulfilled through WFS earn the “Fulfilled by Walmart” badge and two-day delivery promise, which significantly improves conversion and search placement. WFS costs 15% less than competing fulfillment providers on average and has no monthly subscription fees. For most brands, WFS is the recommended path for scaling on Walmart.
Can I use Amazon MCF to fulfill Walmart Marketplace orders?
Yes, but with an important restriction. Walmart does not allow Amazon Logistics as a carrier for Walmart orders. If you use Amazon MCF to fulfill Walmart orders, you must select a non-Amazon carrier such as UPS, FedEx, or USPS. If you manage your Walmart channel through Base, this carrier restriction is handled automatically without any manual configuration.
What happens if my Walmart Marketplace application is denied?
You can appeal a denial by creating a case with Seller Support through the Help button in Seller Center. Walmart will review your case and contact you with a final decision. Note that the resolution reached through the appeal process is final. Many sellers who are initially denied are approved on a second attempt after addressing the specific gaps in their application, most commonly inconsistent business information or a catalog that includes prohibited products.
What is the Walmart Pro Seller program?
The Pro Seller program is Walmart’s tiered system that rewards consistent, high-performing sellers. Walmart restructured it into three tiers in September 2025: Rising Seller, Advanced Seller, and Pro Seller. Each tier unlocks additional benefits including a visible Pro Seller Badge, faster payouts, referral fee discounts, and improved search placement. Pro Seller listings convert at 1.7x the rate of average Marketplace listings. Walmart automatically evaluates seller metrics every 90 days with no application required. Sellers need at least 90 days of activity and 100 completed orders before being evaluated.
What is Walmart Assortment Growth and how does it help sellers?
Assortment Growth is a dashboard inside Walmart Seller Center that gives sellers personalized product and brand recommendations based on real customer demand signals. It identifies items customers are actively searching for on Walmart and across the broader market that you are not currently selling. You can use it to find new products to add to your catalog, explore in-demand brands to carry, and identify optimization opportunities on existing listings. Recommendations are refreshed periodically as customer behavior evolves. All active Walmart Marketplace sellers can access the dashboard through Seller Center at no cost. Base supports Walmart’s Assortment Growth program for sellers managing their Walmart channel alongside other marketplaces.
How do I manage Walmart Marketplace alongside my other sales channels?
The most scalable approach is to manage all channels through a single operations platform rather than logging into each marketplace separately. Platforms like Base connect Walmart alongside Amazon, TikTok Shop, Shopify, SHEIN, and other channels so that inventory syncs as quickly as possible, orders flow into a unified management panel, and listings are managed from one central catalog. This prevents the operational fragmentation that typically slows brands down as they scale across multiple marketplaces.
Where can I get help as a Walmart Marketplace seller?
Walmart offers several official support resources. The Marketplace Learn hub at marketplacelearn.walmart.com contains step-by-step guides, video tutorials, and a Seller Academy certification course. The Seller Forum is a community space where sellers can ask questions and share best practices. For account-specific issues, use the Help button in Seller Center to contact Seller Support via email, live chat, or phone.
