As per Vericast’s findings, the holiday shopping season is anticipated to commence earlier this year. With 44% of consumers planning to begin their purchases in October or prior, retailers can expect a significant increase in customer traffic and sales during this period.
Given the earlier commencement of the holiday shopping season, the summer months present a strategic opportunity for businesses to establish a strong foundation and optimize their operations in anticipation of the increased demand.
To assist you in achieving your holiday sales objectives on Walmart Marketplace, we have compiled a comprehensive guide outlining nine actionable steps that you can implement immediately.
1.Boost your sales with optimized listings
In a crowded marketplace, standing out is essential year-round, but it’s especially crucial during the holidays. To maximize your impact, we suggest revisiting your Marketplace listings and ensuring they are as engaging and attractive as possible.
Fortunately, you can always assess your Listing Quality score at both the catalog and item levels. If there are opportunities to enhance visibility and performance, helpful insights will be easily accessible.
2.Take your catalog to the next level
To stand out, make sure you’re offering the products that shoppers are seeking. This may require expanding your catalog to feature more in-demand items. If you’re uncertain where to start, the Assortment Growth dashboard can provide valuable insights.
This valuable tool offers personalized, data-driven recommendations for expanding your catalog. It highlights the most-searched and best-selling items within your sales categories. Additionally, you can use Assortment Explorer to discover in-demand products in categories you may not currently offer.
Broaden your reach, gain insights into market trends, learn how to secure the Buy Box, and much more. Recommendations are refreshed every few days!
3. Increase traffic to your listings
Ensure your listings grab the attention of shoppers both on and off Walmart.com this holiday season. We offer the tools you need to help you capture as much market share as possible.
Start by taking advantage of the influx of shoppers across our multiple channels, including Walmart’s website, app, and third-party sites, by utilizing Sponsored Search with Walmart Connect. Businesses of all sizes can leverage Walmart Connect to reach their target customers and boost conversions. Plus, don’t forget that our Small Business Hub offers step-by-step guidance to simplify launching ad campaigns, even for first-time advertisers!
Next, grow your audience with search engine marketing (SEM), accessible directly in the Seller Center. This tool allows you to promote your listings through Google Shopping Ads, helping you reach customers who are searching for products like yours as gifts.
SEM is ideal for:
- Boosting sales further for top-performing products.
- Attracting traffic for products with low search volume.
- Jumpstarting your performance as a new seller on Walmart.com.
4.Provide competitive pricing
According to research from Sales force, “it comes down to price” when it comes to winning new business in 2024. In fact, most consumers prioritize saving money above all else. Therefore, optimizing your pricing is crucial for driving sales. The good news is that Walmart Marketplace provides a variety of pricing solutions designed to help you succeed, even if you have limited time.
We understand that monitoring and adjusting your pricing can be time-consuming, which is why we developed Repricer, a powerful tool that streamlines the process. Repricer enables automatic price adjustments for your items based on the rules you set. It automatically updates prices in response to triggers like winning Buy Box offers or prices on external sites.
Here’s how it operates:
- First, you establish your strategy.
- Next, choose the items and set their pricing thresholds.
- Repricer will adjust the prices of those items based on your strategy.
Providing competitive pricing can help you attract customers, and Repricer simplifies the process. Sellers who utilized Repricer to optimize their pricing experienced up to a 50% increase in Buy Box wins and up to a 60% boost in GMV.
5.Engage in Offers
If boosting your conversions is on your holiday wish list, consider getting involved in Deals. Limited-time promotions like Flash Deals, Seasonal Events, and Holiday Events create a sense of urgency that can drive sales. We’ve also made the Deals dashboard easier to use, allowing you to view, enroll in, and track your promotions all in one place. As we noted, most holiday shoppers are seeking the best prices, and by participating in Deals, you can help turn casual browsers into committed buyers.
6.Optimize your shipping strategy
During the holiday season, shoppers prioritize fast shipping more than ever, so having robust shipping and fulfillment systems is crucial for boosting sales. Walmart Marketplace provides solutions for every seller, no matter their business needs. Whether you choose to leverage Walmart Fulfillment Services, tapping into one of the world’s largest supply chains, or prefer to handle fulfillment and shipping yourself, you can enhance customer satisfaction and improve your bottom line.
- Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) handles the storage, packing, and shipping of any amount of inventory you choose. Just send your products to our fulfillment centers, and we’ll manage everything from there, including returns.
OR
- Streamline your self-fulfilled shipping processes using shipping templates. By automating your shipping settings, you can enhance on-time delivery and boost your conversion rates.
- Looking to gain an edge over the competition this holiday season? Offer fast, free shipping! Our One Day, Two day, and Three day delivery programs can enhance your visibility and boost your sales.
- Utilize Ship with Walmart to reduce costs by buying discounted shipping labels directly in Seller Center or through the API. You can also save time by purchasing labels in bulk. Plus, you’ll enjoy peace of mind knowing that your shipments and on-time delivery rates are insured.
7.Simplify returns
Free and hassle-free returns are particularly attractive to consumers during the holidays, when many gifts are inevitably returned. Most shoppers weigh their return options before making a purchase, so providing a seamless return experience is crucial for customer satisfaction. Marketplace sellers and their customers can benefit from Enhanced Returns, which simplify the process through Walmart’s omnichannel presence, allowing for free in-store returns and easy online returns. Additionally, you can enhance customer satisfaction and cost efficiency by offering options like Keep it, Partial Keep it, and Replacement.
8.Take advantage of growth opportunities
Could your business use a funding boost before the busy holiday season? If so, consider exploring our working capital solutions! From Walmart Marketplace Capital offerings to various third-party options, we have you covered. Whether you need extra cash or financing for inventory, fulfillment, or marketing, capital can make a difference. Eligible sellers can request capital offers or utilize Capital for WFS. We also provide several third-party financing alternatives. No matter which option you choose, now is the ideal time to leverage capital to gain momentum for the holidays.
9.Master your skills
With so many options available to holiday shoppers, it’s essential to highlight why they should choose your store. By becoming a Walmart Pro Seller, you can make your listings stand out. Pro Sellers benefit from enhanced visibility in search results and receive a badge that signals to customers your commitment to delivering an exceptional shopping experience. This can help build trust and confidence in your business, ultimately boosting your conversion rates.
The holiday season is the key period for Marketplace sellers, so now is the perfect time to establish systems that will help your business succeed. We encourage you to plan ahead and follow the useful steps in this guide to prepare your business for a successful holiday season!
