Products sent to Walmart fulfillment centers must ship from within the U.S., meaning you can’t ship directly from an overseas manufacturer to a Walmart fulfillment center.
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It’s also important to consider that Walmart’s fulfillment network may be better equipped to handle two-day shipping than FBA. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., FBA was unable to maintain two-day shipping. WFS kept up with the two-day shipping guarantee throughout the pandemic. While WFS handled a lower volume of shipments, this efficiency may be a strong predictor of success to come. It’s no secret that Walmart has been working hard to catch up to Amazon in all things ecommerce. Walmart has invested over billion into ecommerce, supply chain, and technology over the last two years—that’s “72% of their strategic capital expenditure in the US for their 2020 and 2021 fiscal years.”
—Santiago Rocha, Marketplace Ops Account Manager at Tinuiti
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3. Send inventory to a Walmart fulfillment center
How does Walmart Fulfillment Services work?
2-day delivery also helps your products get higher search rankings and Buy Box prominence, meaning more shoppers will see your listings. (Learn more about the benefits of Walmart’s 2-day delivery badge.)
WFS gives sellers a powerful alternative, or complement, to FBA. WFS also offers free two-day shipping on orders over —no Walmart+ membership required. FBA, on the other hand, reserves free one- and two-day shipping options for Prime members.
WFS gives sellers a powerful alternative, or complement, to FBA. WFS also offers free two-day shipping on orders over —no Walmart+ membership required. FBA, on the other hand, reserves free one- and two-day shipping options for Prime members.
In this article, we’ll cover how WFS works, its features and benefits, how it compares to Amazon FBA, and how Walmart sellers can get started with the program. All things considered, the WFS program is a strong option to consider for Walmart Marketplace sellers looking to provide a better customer experience, increase product visibility, and offer two-day shipping through an established supply chain infrastructure. We look forward to seeing how Walmart grows the capabilities and benefits of WFS over time.
“The program enables sellers to spend more time focusing on increasing their sales, while having confidence that their orders will be delivered quickly and with outstanding customer support.” 2. Set up or convert products to Fulfilled by Walmart in Seller Central
The product requirements for WFS include: Once sellers are approved to onboard WFS, getting started with WFS looks like this: WFS charges a monthly storage fee, and a fulfillment fee based on the item’s weight. There are no sign up, subscription, stocking, or long term storage fees.
Walmart Fulfillment Services vs. Amazon FBA
Walmart Fulfillment Services allows sellers to store their inventory at Walmart-owned fulfillment centers. When an order is placed on Walmart.com, the WFS team will pick, pack, and ship the order on the seller’s behalf. Walmart also manages customer support and returns for orders shipped through WFS.
3. Customer service: With WFS, Walmart manages all customer inquiries, refunds, and returns. Participating items are displayed with “TwoDay Delivery,” “Free & Easy Returns,” and “Fulfilled by Walmart” tags for increased product visibility and improved conversion.
“The implementation of Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) is an absolute game changer that brings Walmart one step closer towards rivaling Amazon’s capabilities of servicing customers with fast and reliable shipping. WFS also opens up Walmart’s marketplace to new sellers who would otherwise be unable to ship to customers at scale. This is a very exciting time in the ecommerce space.”
How to Apply to Walmart Fulfillment Services
Before you can apply to ship orders through WFS, sellers must be live on the Walmart Marketplace.
For more information, tips, and strategies on all things Walmart Marketplace, check out our updated Walmart Marketplace Guide for 3P Sellers, and updated Advertising on Walmart Marketplace Guide.
Here are four of the top benefits of WFS:
1. Sign the WFS contract
2. Inventory and order management: WFS offers reporting dashboards for sellers to track orders, inventory levels, and shipments in real-time.
What products are eligible for WFS?
If your products meet these requirements, you could be a great candidate for Walmart Fulfillment Services.
- No perishable or regulated products
- No products weighing more than 30 lbs.
- Maximum product dimensions: 25″ x 20″ x 14″
Walmart boasts one of the most impressive supply chains in the world, coming in at #8 in The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2021. Marketplace sellers who use WFS can take advantage of the scale, reach, and efficiency that Walmart has worked so hard to refine over the years.
4. Straightforward pricing: WFS features a simple pricing structure based on two primary costs: a monthly storage fee, and shipping costs based on weight or dimension.
How much does using Walmart Fulfillment Service cost sellers?
Walmart explains:
Today, there are more than 100k sellers on Walmart Marketplace, a number that has continued to climb at a rapid pace in 2021. FBA requires sellers to ship inventory to multiple fulfillment centers. Currently, sellers only have to ship to one or two Walmart fulfillment centers, making it a simpler process than FBA.
1. Offer 2-day delivery: Amazon Prime has set the standard for fast shipping, but Walmart is up to the challenge. With WFS, sellers can offer 2-day shipping everywhere in the contiguous United States.
