How to Start Selling on Walmart Marketplace (2025 Beginner’s Guide)

Aug 4 / Adinda Wardani
There’s a growing space for sellers who want less competition and more room to grow. Walmart Marketplace is quickly gaining traction and it might be worth your attention.

According to Walmart’s Investor Relations, the company attracts approximately 270 million customer visits each week across 10,750+ stores and eCommerce sites in 19 countries. It’s now the second-largest e-commerce site in the U.S., just behind Amazon. Unlike Amazon, there are no setup or monthly fees. You only pay a referral fee per completed sale, which typically ranges from 6% to 15%, depending on the product category. Walmart keeps its pricing model simple and transparent. You can view the full referral fee breakdown here.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to get started, from setting up your account and listing products to understanding fulfillment options and brand restrictions. Whether you're brand new or expanding from Amazon, this is your roadmap to launching and thriving on Walmart.

What You Need Before You Apply

Before applying, make sure you meet the minimum qualifications to join Walmart Marketplace:
  • Business Tax ID or Business License Number (SSN not accepted) — Make sure the business name exactly matches your EIN or license to avoid delays.
  • Supporting documents that verify your business name and U.S. address — Walmart uses these to confirm your legitimacy as a U.S.-based business.
  • History of marketplace or eCommerce success — Walmart requires a track record of performance on platforms like Amazon, eBay, or your own eCommerce site. This helps demonstrate your ability to meet Walmart’s customer service and fulfillment expectations.
  • Products with GTIN/UPC from a GS1 Company Prefix — Avoid retail barcodes; Walmart prefers identifiers registered to your business or brand.
  • Catalog that complies with Walmart’s Prohibited Products Policy — Use clear images, accurate descriptions, and competitive pricing. Avoid restricted brands like Apple, LEGO, or Nike during onboarding.
  • Fulfillment setup through WFS or a U.S.-based warehouse with returns capability — If not using WFS, make sure your warehouse can ship from within the U.S. and handle returns efficiently.
  • Ability to meet Walmart’s Seller Performance Standards — This includes maintaining on-time shipping and low order defect rates.
Walmart is picky about who they let in. They want established, trustworthy sellers with clean, complete applications. One small mistake could get your application rejected or delayed.

Fulfillment Options: FBM vs. WFS

When selling on Walmart Marketplace, you can choose how you fulfill your orders — either by handling everything yourself, self-fulfillment, or by using Walmart’s fulfillment network (WFS). Each has its pros depending on your business size and goals.

FBM
(Fulfilled by Merchant)

You store, pack, and ship orders directly to customers using your own resources.
Best for: 
  • Sellers with a small catalog
  • Custom packaging needs
  • Own warehouse or 3PL setup

WFS (Walmart Fulfillment Services)

Walmart stores your inventory, ships orders on your behalf, and handles returns and customer service.
Best for: 
  • Sellers looking to scale with fast
  • Reliable delivery
  • Better Buy Box performance

If you want to scale quickly and streamline your operations, WFS is worth considering, especially if you’re already using FBA on Amazon and want a similar experience.

How to Apply and Set Up

What Can You Sell on Walmart Marketplace?

Walmart allows sellers to list a wide range of products across popular categories like:
  • Home & Kitchen
  • Beauty & Personal Care
  • Electronics & Accessories
  • Toys, Games & Baby
  • Clothing & Apparel
  • Office Supplies
  • Automotive
  • Sports & Outdoors
To list your products, you’ll need valid product identifiers (like UPCs or GTINs), clear titles and descriptions, and competitive pricing.
However, some categories may have restrictions or additional approval steps. These include:
  • Health & wellness products (e.g., supplements, medical devices)
  • Jewelry and collectibles
  • Adult products, alcohol, or weapons
Walmart also restricts certain brands (like Apple, LEGO, and Nike), especially if you don’t have direct authorization.

Check Walmart’s official Prohibited Products Policy and Walmart Policies and Guidelines for the most up-to-date info.

Brand and Category Restrictions

Walmart doesn’t require category approval during onboarding, but that doesn’t mean everything is fair game.

You’ll List First, Then Get Flagged

Unlike Amazon, Walmart doesn’t block you from listing products right away. You list first, and if there’s a restriction, you’ll see an error in Seller Center.

What’s Typically Restricted

  • Top brands: Apple, LEGO, Nike, Sony, Microsoft.
  • Sensitive categories: Supplements, medical devices, fragrances, fine jewelry.
  • High-risk items: Alcohol, collectibles, adult products.

How to Get Approved

  • Open a support case in Seller Center.
  • Submit invoices from an authorized distributor (not retail receipts).
  • Walmart may accept as few as 1-5 units.
  • Approvals are manual and may take a few days.

Compared to Amazon

Final Thoughts

Walmart is growing fast and has a fraction of the seller competition Amazon does. It’s a smart move for sellers looking to diversify, especially with no monthly fees and access to Walmart’s massive customer base. For sellers already running on Amazon, expanding to Walmart is a natural next step to grow visibility and reach a new audience without starting from scratch.

Start your free trial of Seller 365 and get access to tools like FeedbackWhiz and Tactical Arbitrage built to help you succeed on both Walmart and Amazon. Now that Walmart sourcing support is here, it’s the perfect time to explore.