The holiday season is just around the corner, making it the perfect time to kickstart your sales on this popular platform. To help you achieve success in your first 30 days and beyond, we’ve curated a comprehensive guide filled with essential tips, tools, and strategies.
Make the most of the holiday season by starting with a well-prepared account.
1. Learn the art of on boarding
Business verification
Complete your Seller Profile by submitting your tax ID.
Payments
Ensure smooth transactions on Walmart Marketplace by accurately setting up your payment details. Our Marketplace Learn resources, including our video guide, will help you understand how to choose your preferred payment method, processors, and other essential settings. Next, you’ll need to set up your shipping methods and costs. This step involves selecting your preferred carriers and returns options that fit your budget. It’s essential for providing accurate pricing, meeting customer expectations, building trust, and ensuring a smooth returns process.
2. Increase your product's search rankings
Listing your products on Walmart.com enables you to reach millions of shoppers. A diverse catalog can help your items stand out!
You have various options for setting up your catalog. To select the best approach for your business, we recommend exploring the following resources:
Get a high-level overview of each item setup method in Item Setup Methods: Overview Seller Help article.
Prefer visual learning? Watch item setup Seller Academy video.
Unsure which method is best for you? Item setup blog post can help you choose.
3. Assemble your team and complete the account setup process
If you have team members assisting with your Marketplace business, you can add them to Seller Center. You can assign various roles and permissions, from Admin to Read only, based on their specific responsibilities.
To manage your contacts, visit the Manage Contacts tab to add, edit, or remove individuals in your organization who oversee different aspects of your business. It’s a good idea to update this section regularly to ensure you receive all important communications from Walmart.
Pro tip: You can use a distribution list as a contact instead of just a single individual. For more information on the required contact types, click here.
Lastly, be sure to enhance your account security by enabling 2-step verification. Ensure that each user has unique credentials linked to separate inboxes to prevent account lockouts.
4. Optimize and strategize
With competition intensifying during the holiday season, it’s crucial for your listings to stand out. Take charge by ensuring your item names, descriptions, key features, and images are accurate and optimized.
If you’d like a refresher on making your listings successful, check out the following resources in Marketplace Learn.
Explore best practices for optimizing your product detail page on Walmart.com here.
Get acquainted with Walmart Marketplace’s Image Guidelines and Requirements.
If you need to update your item’s content, find out how here.
Pro tip: Incorporate rich media into your product listings to enhance search results, boost order conversions, and minimize returns.
Once your listings are optimized, we recommend monitoring your performance and making adjustments as necessary. The following tools can assist you in this process with ease.
It automatically adjusts your prices to match or undercut competitor prices, boosting your chances of attracting more customers and securing the Buy Box according to the rules, criteria, or strategy you establish.
Discover recommendations for best-selling items to include in your catalog. These product suggestions span various categories, brands, and competitive price points, enabling you to make informed, data-driven decisions.
5. Master your shipping strategy
With your listings prepared for the holiday rush, it’s time to spread the holiday cheer! Take advantage of our exceptional supply chain through Walmart Fulfilment Services (WFS) to manage your shipping needs. We’ll handle storage, picking, packing, and shipping of orders for you—without any minimums or maximums.
Still need more reasons to choose WFS?
Sellers using Walmart Fulfilment Services experience a 50% increase in GMV* for items labeled ‘Fulfilled by Walmart’ and ‘2-day shipping’!
If you prefer to handle your own shipping and fulfilment, there are plenty of options to consider. Here are some tips to help you optimize your operations:
- Automate Your Templates: Switch from manual templates to automated ones to streamline your self-fulfilled shipping efforts. Automated settings can also improve your on-time delivery and conversion rates.
- Offer Fast and Free Shipping: Utilize our One Day, Two Day, and Three Day delivery programs to enhance your visibility and boost conversions on Walmart.com.
- Use Ship with Walmart: Save on costs by purchasing discounted shipping labels directly in Seller Center or via API.
Pro tip: To meet holiday demand and save time, consider purchasing labels in bulk.
6. Increase traffic and enhance visibility
With those items checked off, it’s time to unlock your sales potential. Whether you want to boost visibility or build customer loyalty, we’re here to support you during the holiday rush.
- Get your brand and products in front of customers actively searching and browsing Walmart’s site and app with our Sponsored Search advertising tools.
- Looking to attract shoppers searching on Google? Search Engine Marketing (SEM) can help you climb to the top of search results.
- Finally, after you make that first sale, turn those customers into repeat buyers by providing timely and high-quality responses to their inquiries!
Wishing you a successful launch on Walmart Marketplace and a prosperous holiday season! By following this checklist and staying proactive, you’ll establish a strong foundation for success, particularly during this critical time of year for Marketplace sellers.
