Walmart's eCommerce division has become a powerful force in online retail.
As of late 2024, Walmart Marketplace has surpassed 150,000 third-party sellers, with that number expected to grow by an additional 20% by Q3 2025.
This expansion is driven by rising demand for Amazon alternatives and Walmart's increasingly sophisticated Marketplace infrastructure.
Walmart.com draws over 120 million unique monthly visitors, providing a high-intent customer base ready to engage with third-party sellers.
Seller CentralโWalmartโs hub for Marketplace operationsโhas matured into an enterprise-grade platform.
It now features more advanced analytics, automated pricing, and seamless integration with Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS).
For eCommerce professionals, this guide offers a detailed roadmap to setting up, optimizing, and scaling on Walmart Seller Central in 2025.
Understanding Walmart Seller Central
Walmart Seller Central, also known as Seller Center, is the centralized dashboard for managing every facet of your Marketplace operationsโfrom listings and orders to fulfillment and performance analytics.
It differs from Amazon in one key respect: Walmart enforces a selective, curated seller onboarding model, meaning only pre-qualified, performance-ready sellers gain access.
Bonus read: Selling on Walmart vs Amazon: A Comprehensive Guide for eCommerce Brands.
For high-volume eCommerce operators, this lower competition density can mean greater visibility.
Walmart still accounts for less than 10% of U.S. marketplace GMV, but it's growing steadily.
Studies show that Walmart's eCommerce sales are projected to reach $82.6 billion in 2025, up from $66 billion in 2023.
Best-suited sellers include:
- D2C brands with catalog depth
- Established Amazon sellers seeking diversification
- Multichannel retailers with robust logistics
Walmart Seller Central also now integrates more fully with external ERPs and tools, including APIs for pricing, fulfillment, and Walmart advertisingโmaking it suitable for large, multi-SKU businesses.
How to Set Up Your Walmart Seller Central Account in 2025
1. Accessing the Platform
Go to marketplace.walmart.com and begin your application. Requirements include:
- U.S. Business Tax ID (EIN)
- Active W9/W8 form
- Physical business address in the U.S.
- Detailed product catalog (SKU count, categories)
- Historical data from other marketplaces (e.g., Amazon, eBay, Shopify)
2. Setup Timeline
Based on current onboarding trends, most qualified applications are processed in 2 to 5 business days. This is contingent on clean documentation and proof of marketplace performance.
3. Post-Approval Checklist
Once approved:
- Complete your Partner Profile (branding, shipping policies)
- Connect payment via Payoneer
- Choose fulfillment method (WFS, Deliverr, or self-fulfillment)
- Upload listings (bulk via Excel, API, or manual entry)
- Conduct a sandbox test (required for certain categories)
Walmart's onboarding guide is available here.
Pro Tips
- Use a domain-branded business email for faster approval
- Format bulk uploads using Walmartโs latest Item Spec 4.4 file
- Include UPCs or GTINs for at least 95% of SKUs to avoid listing rejection
- Reach out to the best Walmart marketplace consultant for comprehensive support.
Walmart Seller Central Requirements (And What No One Tells You)
Walmart's public-facing requirements are just the surface. Sellers must pass a real-world operational readiness test.
Official Requirements
- Active EIN and U.S.-registered business
- Fulfillment readiness for 50+ orders/day
- 99% on-time shipping and <1% ODR (Order Defect Rate)
- Valid UPCs/GTINs for most catalog items
Hidden Qualifiers
Walmart algorithmically assesses data from your Shopify/Amazon presence using tools like Marketplace Pulse and ChannelAdvisor. They score on:
- Catalog maturity: SKUs with detailed backend data, compliant image specs (min. 1000x1000 px)
- Return & refund policies: Must match or exceed Walmartโs customer-first stance
- Integration potential: Preference given to API-capable sellers
According to Walmart itself, almost 1/4th of rejected sellers failed due to catalog misalignment or incomplete backend attributes.
Avoid pitfalls by using validation tools like AppSumoโs Listing Manager, which auto-checks category mapping, image formatting, and keyword optimization.
Navigating the Seller Center Dashboard
Once live, your control panel becomes the daily operating theater. The Seller Center is structured around five key modules:
- Catalog: Item creation, spec updates, listing diagnostics
- Orders: Fulfillment queue, return management, tracking
- Pricing: Repricer rules, price parity warnings
- Analytics: Buy Box share, GMV tracking, category benchmarks
- Performance: On-time delivery, ODR, cancellation rates\
Listing Quality Dashboard
Listings are scored from 0 to 100 based on content depth, imagery, price competitiveness, and fulfillment method. Sellers above 80 see 2x search visibility and 23% more conversions on average.
Walmart Repricer
Automates competitive pricing across multiple listings in real time. For example, Discount Tech on Walmart saw a 2x increase in Buy Box wins and a 4x overall sales growth.
Bonus Read: Our expert guide explains Walmart seller fees for eCommerce brands to navigate Walmartโs fee structure and maximize profitability. Read it to understand the fees, compare them to competitors, and learn strategies to optimize your costs.
Common Challenges and How to Solve Them
Even with Walmartโs evolving infrastructure, getting started on Seller Central can come with its fair share of challenges.
Below are the most common ones and how to solve them quickly and confidently.
1. Application Delays
Walmartโs onboarding involves a combination of manual vetting and algorithmic scoring.
Delays typically arise from mismatched tax documents (e.g., EIN vs. W-9) or vague business profiles.
Walmart prioritizes sellers with a clear track record of marketplace performance and operational readiness.
๐ Fix: Ensure your business documentation aligns with your EIN registration. Use a domain-branded email and link to your existing stores on Amazon or Shopify. These steps can reduce approval time by up to three days.
2. Listing Rejections
According to ProductScope.ai, 1 in 3 product listings are rejected due to incomplete backend attributes, invalid GTINs, or incorrect category mapping.
Walmartโs Item Spec 4.4 file demands meticulous data input across fields like Product ID, image size, and shelf descriptions.
๐ Fix: Use Walmartโs Listing Quality Dashboard to identify and fix content gaps. Optimizing and regularly updating the catalogue ensures spec compliance and formatting accuracy.
3. Inventory Sync Issues
Sellers using outdated ERPs or non-integrated tools often face inventory discrepancies, leading to overselling or delayed fulfillment.
This directly impacts seller metrics like cancellation rate and shipping time.
๐ Fix: Work with certified solution providers like ChannelAdvisor to build a reliable real-time sync with Walmartโs API.
4. Performance Compliance
Walmart expects sellers to maintain a <1% Order Defect Rate and >99% on-time delivery from day one.
These benchmarks are tough to hit without fulfillment automation, especially during sales peaks.
๐ Fix: Activate Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS). WFS sellers ship 36% faster and maintain a 99.3% on-time record, per Walmartโs 2024 Fulfillment Report. This not only improves compliance but also Buy Box eligibility.
Tips to Grow Your Walmart Marketplace Sales
Growth at Walmart requires sharp operations, strategic content, and performance-driven marketing. Hereโs what works:
1. Optimize Listings with SEO and Rich Media
Enhanced your Walmart listings with at least 4 high-res images, videos, and long-tail keywords, and convert up to 35% better.
Walmartโs search algorithm favors complete content structured under its Item Spec 4.4 schema.
๐ Action: Use Walmartโs content guidelines and keyword research tools to craft SEO-friendly listings and structure your product data according to Item Spec 4.4 for higher Listing Quality Scores.
2. Use Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS)
WFS doesnโt just simplify logisticsโit boosts conversion. WFS-tagged products enjoy a 50% higher Buy Box win rate and 14% fewer returns.
๐ Action: Enroll fast-moving SKUs to take advantage of 2-day delivery badges and hands-off returns management.
3. Run Sponsored Campaigns via Walmart Connect
Advertising is now essential for visibility. In Q4 2024, Sponsored Products through Walmart Connect delivered a 3.7x average ROAS.
If you are wondering how to get started, here is our comprehensive guide on Walmart Advertising to increase visibility and sales in 2025 and beyond.
๐ Action: A/B test different ad creatives and bidding strategies using Walmart Ad Centerโs reporting dashboard. Segment campaigns by SKU performance, product margin, or seasonal relevance to improve ROAS and control spend.
4. Automate Pricing
Manual repricing can't scale with demand. Walmartโs Repricer and SalesDuoโs smart pricing tools adjust prices in real time based on Buy Box competitiveness and margin thresholds.
๐ Action: Enable automated pricing logic to maintain visibility while preserving profitability.
5. Monitor with a BI Dashboard
Visibility into SKU performance is key. SalesDuoโs BI dashboard reveals ROAS, stock-outs, keyword shifts, and conversion funnels.
๐ Action: Track metrics like click-to-cart rates, ad spend efficiency, and category ranking to make faster, smarter decisions.
Why Choose SalesDuo as Your Walmart Partner
SalesDuo offers end-to-end Walmart Marketplace support designed for businesses wishing to take the next step. Our solutions are built for scale and tailored to enterprise-grade operations.
Services Include:
- Catalog onboarding and optimization
- Ad campaign design and budget scaling
- Shortage claim and chargeback resolution
- WFS integration and fulfillment strategy
- Custom BI dashboards with SKU-level visibility
Donโt take our word for it. Read how we took Z Natural Foods to a 134% YOY growth, using strategic bidding, keyword targeting, and campaign refinement.
There was a significant boost in visibility and conversions while the ACOS lay below 30% throughout. The efforts led to 24MM impressions, 105K clicks, and an incredible ROAS of 5.25.
Explore our full Walmart Marketplace service suite here.
In Summary
Walmart Seller Central in 2025 is a high-performance marketplace channel that rewards precision, readiness, and strategic scaling.
For eCommerce professionals already managing complex Amazon or Shopify operations, Walmart represents a valuable secondary revenue channel that can scale to 7 or 8 figures with the right structure.
Focus on getting onboarding right, investing in catalog quality, using automated tools like Repricers and WFS, and adopting a performance-driven advertising strategy.
The top 10% of Walmart sellers outperform the bottom 90% by more than 3x in terms of conversion.
And if youโre serious about reducing friction and accelerating ROI, itโs time to partner with experts.
Schedule a Call with an Amazon & Walmart Expert at SalesDuo.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Author
A passionate brand strategist and customer success manager, Devashish Mishra helps brands thrive on Amazon. With a unique blend of hospitality experience and an IIM education, he brings a fresh, customer-first mindset to eCommerce. Outside work, Devashish enjoys jamming on his guitar and discovering new music vibes.
