Walmart is a multinational company that sells goods and is the second largest online market in the world, after Amazon.
In 2021, Walmart made $64.62 billion in online sales, and this number is only expected to grow.
It has become a well-known name, especially in the U.S., and digital entrepreneurs from all over the world are interested in it.
This has also made people who work in dropshipping eager to join the trend. Which brings us to the question: Is it even possible to dropship from Walmart? Yes, is the short answer, but it’s not as easy as it sounds.
In this guide, we’ll talk about everything you need to know about dropshipping on Walmart so you can decide if it’s right for you.
Let’s get right into it!
Can You Dropship on Walmart?
Yes, dropshipping is allowed at Walmart, and there are 3 ways to get started:
Apply to be a Drop Ship Vendor for them (DSV)
Dropshipped products can be sold on Walmart.
You can sell Walmart products on other websites.
Before we get into the details, I want to let you know that this article will mostly be about the first two types of dropshipping on Walmart. But later in this post, we’ll talk about dropshipping from Walmart, which is the third type.
The Drop Ship Vendor Program (DSV)
There are two choices for sellers at Walmart. One must become a supplier for the platform and ship items to the Walmart warehouse.
The other option is to sign up for their DSV Program and ship the products directly to the customers.
To become a DSV, you need to meet the requirements on their supplier checklist and get an invitation from a Walmart.com Category Specialist (buyer).
Sell Dropshipped Products on Walmart
This is more like the traditional way of dropshipping, where you find a supplier to get products and ship them directly to customers.
You can use a sourcing service or sites like AliExpress or 1688 to find suppliers. As long as you don’t sell things that you bought at Walmart, you should be fine.
Resell Walmart Products to Other Marketplaces
You can buy something from Walmart and send it straight to the customer. But we won’t suggest this because the platform doesn’t allow direct reselling.
One way to get around this is to have the product sent to your address first and then send it to the customer.
But this is different from how dropshipping is usually done and requires a bit more work.
How Does Dropshipping on Walmart Work?
If you sign up for Walmart’s DSV Program, you can dropship there. It’s a mix of the 1P and 3P ways to sell. You can sell things to Walmart at wholesale prices and get them listed on the platform.
Walmart will set the prices, make sure the listings are as good as they can be, and work on pretty much everything the customer sees on the site.
But there’s a catch: as the seller, you’d be in charge of keeping track of all the products and making sure they get to the customers. Walmart will still pay for all of the shipping costs. Your job is just to work on order fulfillment.
Also, keep in mind that this method is different from traditional dropshipping in that you store the inventory yourself.
How to Dropship on Walmart without the DSV Program?
It is against Walmart’s rules to resell something directly, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use a third-party supplier. So, here are some steps you can take to start selling on Walmart without the DSV Program:
Find a Dropshipping Supplier
The first step of dropshipping on Walmart is to find a reliable supplier, which is pretty much the same as any other place.
Most sellers would use AliExpress for this, mostly because they can find cheaper products there.
But remember that price isn’t the only thing to think about. The time of delivery is also a big part of whether or not a customer is happy.
For example, if you do business in the U.S., the best thing would be to find a supplier with warehouses there.
This will speed up your delivery time, which can help you provide a good experience for your customers.
Create a Seller Account on Walmart
You still need a seller account to get started, even if you don’t use the Walmart Dropshipping Program.
If you go to the Walmart Marketplace and click on “Request to Sell,” you can find the form to sign up. Then enter the following information:
Your business’s tax ID number.
Where your business is located.
Methods for integrating the catalog.
Details about a product (category, size, etc.)
Tax verification letter (EIN, W8, or W9 forms)
Complete Their Onboarding Process
After your application is approved, Walmart will send you an email with a link to sign up so you can finish the onboarding process. To do that, you will need to put in the following:
Details about your business, your bank account, and your address.
You have to agree to the terms and conditions of the store.
Details about shipping and how to pay.
Information you need to upload your listings.
Set up a profile for your business at Walmart that customers will be able to see.
Start Fulfilling the Orders
Your Walmart account is now set up and you can start dropshipping.
In terms of shipping, Walmart has officially teamed up with Deliverr to offer a program that fills orders in two days.
But if you are a dropshipper, your supplier will probably also have a service for order fulfillment.
What Is Walmart Dropshipping Automation?
If you don’t already know, automating a dropshipping business means using software to make your daily tasks easier. This means adding new products and shipping and filling orders.
Most modern platforms offer some kind of automation service these days, and Walmart is no different.
You can automate your Walmart dropshipping store with the help of many third-party integrations. During the onboarding process, you will also be asked if you plan to use an API.
Here are some of the most popular automation tools you can use to build an automated dropshipping store on Walmart:
Ecomdash
Ecomdash’s main goal is to help Walmart sellers list their products and keep track of their stock levels automatically. It can also help with order fulfillment, shipment tracking, and order management.
Overall, it’s a useful tool that can help you make your dropshipping store run more smoothly in almost every way.
Elite Automation
Elite Automation can help you if you want to build a Walmart dropshipping store from scratch but don’t have the time.
They offer full-service management by taking care of every part of your business and helping you get tax breaks and get your applications approved.
EcomCircles
EcomeCircles also wants to help sellers start a dropshipping business in every way possible. They help with every step, from getting an account approved to researching products and making a choice.
They also give you metrics and analytics about your account and make sure your store is safe by making sure you follow Walmart’s rules and policies.
What Are the Pros of Dropshipping on Walmart?
Can’t decide if dropshipping from Walmart is worth your time? Here are some of the good things about it to help you decide:
Less Competition: Walmart has only been in the eCommerce business for a short time. The platform has made a name for itself, though. It has less competition because many dropshippers still don’t know how to sell there.
Low start-up costs: Walmart’s Drop Ship Vendor Program doesn’t cost sellers anything to join. There are also no hidden fees. A referral fee is only due when you make a sale. This makes Walmart a great choice for small business owners on a tight budget.
Many Types of Products: You can sell products in more than 35 different types on Walmart. This lets you try out a lot of different options and see what works best.
Quick Shipping: With the help of its logistics partners, Walmart can ship items to you in just two days. We all know that getting orders out faster can help you get great reviews, which in turn can bring in more customers.
What Are the Cons of Dropshipping on Walmart?
Walmart has its own flaws, just like every other platform. So, before you start dropshipping, here are some of the bad things you should know:
Long Process to Sign Up: The process to sign up is a bit complicated. Before you can set up your store, you have to fill out a form and wait for an approval email from Walmart.
Price Limits: Walmart is known for selling items at the lowest prices or at a discount to their customers. So they have very strict rules about pricing that sellers must follow if they want to use the platform.
Low-Profit-Margin: The point of dropshipping is to keep a certain percentage of each sale as a commission. But Walmart’s rules about pricing can cut into your profit and make dropshipping less profitable.
Tips to Remember for Dropshipping on Walmart
To run a successful business, you have to work hard and put in the time. But here are some Walmart dropshipping tips for beginners that can give them an edge over their competitors:
Optimize Your Listings
When you sell something on an eCommerce marketplace, your main goal is to be at the top of the list. Walmart is like Google and Amazon in that it uses algorithms to decide where you will rank.
So, here are some SEO tips to keep in mind if you want to optimize your Walmart product listings:
Product Titles
The product title can be up to 75 characters long and has a big effect on how many people click on your ads. If you don’t know what to put in the product title, here’s a general rule you can follow:
Brand and Product Name + Model + Style
Some sellers also add features to the names of their products, which is fine. But it doesn’t have to be done for every product if the feature isn’t unique or in high demand.
Product Descriptions
The hardest thing for any online store to do these days is to write product descriptions that are interesting.
If a buyer is reading about your product, it’s likely because they are about to buy it.
Also, product descriptions are a very important part of your store’s SEO.
So don’t try to save time when you’re writing the descriptions.
If you need to, hire a pro. Spending a few hundred dollars could help you make thousands more.
Product Images
Having good pictures of your products can also help you stand out from the crowd.
It’s the first thing buyers see when they look at your listings, so make sure it’s a good one.
Most dropshipping suppliers don’t mind if you use their product pictures, but you should still ask for permission.
If you can, try to take your own pictures of the products against a clean and appealing background.
If not, at least use a photography backdrop to make the photos look like they were taken by a pro.
Follow Walmart’s Terms of Service
Every platform has its own set of rules that you must follow.
If you break the terms of service, your listings could drop in rank, and in the worst case, your account could be closed. So carefully read through Walmart’s seller rules and get to know them.
Even so, you shouldn’t have any problems as long as you treat your customers well and don’t sell any products that are protected by intellectual property rights.
Track Your Seller Scorecard
Walmart’s Seller Scorecard, which you can find on your store’s dashboard, gives you information about how well your sales are going.
It tells you in detail how each product is doing and shows you what customers have said about it.
Check the scorecard to see if you’re on track to reach your goals, and if you’re not, come up with a plan for how to get back on track.
Find the Right Products
The most important part of running a dropshipping business is choosing what products to sell. We’ve already talked about how you can look for things on Walmart by going to the section called “Daily Deals.”
If that doesn’t work, you can also get ideas from other dropshipping platforms and directories. In the same way, many online tools, such as Google Trends, can also help you find products.
It tells you how popular a keyword is and how often people have searched for it. With that information, you can figure out if a product will do well or not.
Offer Good Customer Service
Last but not least, Walmart is a well-known brand, and they take care of their customers.
So, if you want to be successful on the platform, you should go above and beyond to meet customer expectations.
This includes getting orders to customers on time, giving refunds, and taking the initiative to solve problems when they come up.
Failing to follow these standards can potentially get you suspended from the platform.
Is Dropshipping on Walmart Worth It?
Walmart is one of the most popular online stores, and dropshippers can find a lot of opportunities there. But whether or not it’s worth it depends on what you want to get out of the platform.
Walmart has rules about how much things can cost, so you can’t make a lot of money unless you buy things for a ridiculously low price.
But Walmart’s established customer base makes it a great place for sellers to make more sales, especially if they are good at SEO.
FAQs about Walmart Dropshipping
Amazon, Shopify, or Walmart – Which Platform Is Best for Dropshipping?
People think that Shopify is the best platform for dropshipping because it has so many tools and plugins.
Also, it’s easy to connect a Shopify store to Amazon or Walmart.
So the best comparison is between Shopify and Amazon, which we’ve already talked about in detail.
How to Find Suppliers for Dropshipping on Walmart?
There are a number of ways to find dropshippers on Walmart.
One is to use a marketplace like Alibaba or AliExpress. To start, type the name of the product into the site’s search bar and sort the results by highest rating. Most likely, the results will lead you to a number of suppliers. From there, you can sort your list by:
Estimated time of delivery
The least amount
Minimum order quantity
After that, talk to each supplier separately and choose the one that gives you the best value for your money.
And if you don’t want to deal with all the trouble, the easiest thing to do is to hire professional dropshipping agents who can find products and put your name on them.
Is Walmart Dropshipping Challenging to Start?
If you can get into Walmart’s DSV program, it’s easy to start a dropshipping business. There are no costs up front or hidden costs. Only a referral fee will be due for each sale.
How to Dropship from Walmart to Shopify?
There are several ways to link Shopify to Walmart. One of them is to use the Shopify app store to add the Walmart Marketplace sales channel.
Then, fill out the seller form. Once it’s approved, you can start making changes and adding products on Shopify, and your Walmart store will update itself.
You can also use a third-party app like Walmart Integration, which has cutting-edge features and is also a convenient multichannel solution.
Where to Find Products to Dropship from Walmart?
Because it has so many products, Walmart is a great place to find dropshipping products.
You can’t resell on Walmart, but you could think about dropshipping from Walmart to eBay or Amazon, since Walmart usually has high-quality products with fast 2-day shipping.
The easiest way to look for things on Walmart is to go to the section called “Daily Deals.” This section brings together the best deals from different departments and shows them at the best or lowest prices.
This can give you ideas for things you might want to sell in your dropshipping store.
You can narrow it down even more by looking at each product’s ratings and reviews, as well as the best price you can find from the suppliers.
There are a lot of ways to narrow your search at Walmart. Best case scenario, look for sellers with 4.5 stars or more.
What Product Categories Can You Find on Walmart Daily Deals?
There are a lot of different kinds of things in Walmart’s daily deals. Some are made for a small group of people, while others are always useful no matter who reads them.
Here are some examples of the types of products you can buy at Walmart:
Pets Beauty Supplies for the Office
Toys, clothes, gear for the outdoors, auto parts, and electronics.
In the same way, you should stay away from some product categories, such as Games & Movies and Samsung Savings, to avoid copyright issues.
Is Dropshipping from Walmart to Amazon/eBay Legal?
Amazon and eBay don’t let people buy products from retailers and send them directly to customers.
So, in short, it’s not legal to dropship from Walmart to Amazon or eBay in the traditional way.
But you can still use the arbitrage method, which is to have the product sent to you first and then send it to the customer.
Is Walmart Dropshipping Challenging to Start?
On the Walmart marketplace, there are two ways to dropship.
One way is to join their DSV program. In this program, the supplier stores the item and ships it directly to the customer, but Walmart pays for the delivery.
The other option is to sell on Walmart’s marketplace, which means the seller has to take care of the orders themselves.
No matter which way you choose, you must first sign up to be a seller on Walmart.
For this, they have a strict screening process and require the seller to have some experience and success in the eCommerce industry.
Since this is the case, it may not be hard for experts to start dropshipping on Walmart, but for newcomers, it’s almost impossible.
Final Thoughts
Walmart already has a large number of customers, and its online sales are growing quickly every year.
Overall, it’s safe to say that dropshipping through Walmart has a lot of potential.
Even though the platform has some problems, like price limits, the amount of exposure you get makes up for it.
