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If you're currently selling on Amazon, eBay, or other marketplaces, you've likely already given some thought to expanding to additional sales channels to grow your business and reduce risk. The majority of ecommerce sellers start on one platform before gradually expanding to new sales channels, and Walmart has emerged as one of the most compelling options for multi-channel growth.
Walmart's fulfillment programs, including Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) and Multichannel Solutions (MCS), have made it easier and more lucrative than ever to integrate Walmart into your existing multi-channel strategy. In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about building a successful Walmart multi-channel strategy, from understanding the different fulfillment options to setting up your account and managing inventory across multiple platforms.
Key Takeaways: Walmart Multichannel Selling
If you're like most sellers, you probably didn't start on Walmart. Most ecommerce sellers begin on platforms like eBay, Etsy, or Shopify because they don't require approval and have pretty straightforward listing processes, then use multichannel selling managers like EasyChannel to expand their business to more selling channels.
So why should you consider adding Walmart as your next sales channel? The numbers speak for themselves. Walmart consistently reports strong marketplace growth, and unlike their main competitor, Amazon, they don't compete directly with sellers on most products. Plus, Walmart's advertising costs are typically lower than Amazon's, and you get access to their massive customer base of over 150 million weekly shoppers.
The real game-changer has been Walmart's investment in seller-friendly fulfillment programs, which provide its sellers with a way to leverage Walmart's expansive logistics network to fulfill off-Walmart orders. Essentially, Walmart can act both as a sales channel and a 3PL solution provider, making it a great option for your next multichannel move. Just as WFS eliminates many of the logistical challenges that used to make Walmart inaccessible for smaller sellers, MCS makes it an equally great option for multichannel sellers who want to leverage Walmart's advanced fulfillment network for their multichannel fulfillment needs.
While Amazon was first to leverage its expansive infrastructure to provide ecommerce sellers with reliable warehousing and fulfillment solutions, Walmart, while late to the game, has also introduced an impressive set of fulfillment solutions in their own right.
Walmart offers two distinct but complementary programs – Walmart Fulfillment Service (WFS) and Multi Channel Solutions (MCS) – that many sellers find confusing at first. Let's break down exactly what each program offers, learn how each one can be used to support your multi-channel strategy, and understand the key differences between the two programs.
Walmart Fulfillment Services is designed specifically for orders placed on Walmart.com. When you enroll products in WFS, Walmart stores your inventory in their fulfillment centers and handles the entire order process when customers buy from your Walmart listings. This includes picking, packing, shipping, and even handling customer service for shipping-related inquiries.
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Multichannel Solutions takes fulfillment a step further by allowing sellers to leverage Walmart's expansive logistics and fulfillment networks for orders from other sales channels. This means you can fulfill orders from WooCommerce, Instagram, eBay, and even Amazon, using the same inventory stored in Walmart's fulfillment centers.
MCS ships orders in unbranded packaging, so you don't have to worry about policy violations or confused customers. Walmart also gives sellers the option of choosing between expedited 2-business-day shipping and standard 3-5 business day shipping, and even handles returns management across all channels.
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The primary distinction between Walmart's WFS and MCS programs is their purpose: the former is meant for fulfilling Walmart Marketplace orders, while the latter is used for fulfilling orders from other selling channels. While both rely on Walmart's logistics network to store inventory and fulfill orders, there are some key differences between the two.
Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS):
Walmart Multi Channel Solutions (MCS):
Pro Tip: EasyChannel integrates seamlessly with Walmart MCS and WFS, so you can take advantage of Walmart's multichannel fulfillment tools while managing your multichannel ecommerce business with the most powerful multichannel selling platform on the market!
Creating an effective Walmart multi-channel strategy requires careful planning and a clear understanding of how different sales channels work together. Most sellers who successfully implement this approach start with a solid foundation on their primary platform before systematically expanding to include Walmart and other channels. In this section, we'll discuss how to choose the right sales channels when planning a Walmart-powered multi-channel sales strategy, and go over some key inventory management considerations to keep in mind as a multichannel ecommerce seller.
Walmart's Multichannel Solutions supports virtually any sales channel where customers can place orders, making it a great choice for all kinds of multichannel sellers. Popular sales channels include Amazon, eBay, and even your own Shopify store, but it will work just as well for platforms like Instagram and TikTok Shop. The key is selecting channels that align with your target audience and product categories.
There is one limitation to Walmart's MCS, however – like its Walmart Marketplace counterpart, WFS, it offers domestic shipping only. Sellers who want the convenience of a 3PL but also want to sell internationally should consider the alternative offered by Amazon, MCF.
EasyChannel integrates directly with Walmart's fulfillment services, allowing you to fully automate your multichannel fulfillment process through MCS. This integration lets you automatically send orders from Amazon, eBay, Shopify, and other platforms to MCS, and automatically receive fulfillment information from Walmart when the order ships.
To make things even easier, EasyChannel will automatically update each marketplace that the order has been shipped, and, when possible, upload tracking information directly to the marketplace, making for a fully automated fulfillment system. And to help you get the most out of your Walmart multi-channel strategy, you can use EasyChannel's reporting features to track sales across all channels, so you can make better, more informed decisions when planning your inventory orders.
Before you can automate your MCS fulfillment with EasyChannel, getting your Walmart multi-channel strategy up and running requires careful attention to account setup and product configuration. While the process has become simpler over time, there are still specific requirements and best practices that are important to note before deciding on MCS for your multichannel fulfillment needs.
Getting started with Walmart's multichannel fulfillment is straightforward once you have an approved Walmart Marketplace seller account. Before you can start using MCS, you'll need to enroll and qualify for Walmart Fulfillment Services first. You'll need a US bank account or credit card to set up a billing method, which will cover fulfillment and storage fees. You'll also have to maintain Walmart's stringent listing requirements, customer service standards, and low order defect rates in order to remain in good standing on the marketplace itself. If you're an international seller, you'll need a current billing setup and a US return address since Walmart handles returns for all channels through their network.
Assuming you've met these requirements, you'll then need to apply for MCS, and once approved, set up your remaining sales channels to work with MCS. In our experience, sellers who utilize tools like EasyChannel to fully automate MCS fulfillment get better results out of Walmart's multichannel fulfillment system, and get those results with minimum hands-on work. Since everything is set up to run automatically, you don't have to worry about forgetting to update tracking on time or having an order fall through the cracks, since EasyChannel takes care of the integration for you.
With Walmart's MCS, sellers have complete control over which channels their products are available on – you can determine, on an item-by-item basis, whether a product is listed and available for fulfillment on Walmart.com, external channels, or both.
This flexibility means you can use MCS for external marketplace fulfillment while keeping certain products off Walmart.com entirely. You'll still need to upload the products to the inventory management system and ship them to Walmart's fulfillment centers for inventory management purposes, but you can control whether or not they'll be available to buyers on Walmart Marketplace. To further manage the visibility and availability across sales channels, you can use multichannel inventory management tools like EasyChannel to more effectively manage and allocate your multichannel inventory.
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The decision between Walmart's Multichannel Solutions (MCS) and Amazon's Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) is one many multichannel sellers face. On the face of it, these two options seem like identical solutions offered by different providers, but there are important nuances that can make one a better choice for some businesses over the other. Understanding the strengths and limitations of each option will help you make the best choice when it comes to finding the right partner for your multichannel fulfillment strategy.
One of Amazon MCF's main advantages is Amazon's massive fulfillment network, which often translates into faster shipping options in many markets and extensive geographic coverage. Until recently, Amazon placed restrictions and charged higher fees for fulfillment of orders for competing marketplaces – namely, Walmart. Recent changes have made Amazon MCF available for Walmart orders, though this still requires careful setup to comply with both platforms' policies. If you use EasyChannel to manage your multichannel selling, however, it acts as a buffer between Amazon and Walmart, so Amazon never needs to know where the order originated from.
Walmart's MCS typically offers lower fulfillment costs, and provides unbranded packaging by default – an option that has to be specifically selected with Amazon MCF – an essential feature for professional cross-channel fulfillment. And while Walmart's fulfillment network is smaller than Amazon's, it still provides excellent coverage across the United States. For US-based sellers whose shipping needs are exclusively domestic, Walmart generally offers a better solution than Amazon on virtually every metric.
The choice between systems often comes down to your existing relationships and infrastructure. Sellers already heavily invested in Amazon's ecosystem might find MCF integration easier, while those looking to avoid Amazon often prefer Walmart's solution.
Q: What is Walmart's Multi-Channel Solutions program?
Walmart's Multi-Channel Solutions (MCS) is a fulfillment program that allows sellers to use Walmart's fulfillment centers to ship orders from multiple sales channels, including Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and their own ecommerce websites. Orders are shipped in unbranded packaging with competitive fulfillment fees for domestic US shipments. The program requires enrollment in Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) first, allows only for fulfillment of domestic orders, and supports both expedited and standard shipping options across all channels.
Q: Can I use Amazon MCF for Walmart orders?
Yes, Walmart now officially allows sellers to fulfill Marketplace orders using Amazon's Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) service. This policy change has removed a significant barrier for sellers already using Amazon's fulfillment network. However, sellers must configure MCF to block Amazon Logistics delivery for Walmart orders, and opt to use alternative carriers instead. While this option exists, many sellers find Walmart's own MCS program offers better cost efficiency for their needs, along with more seamless integration for their existing Walmart Marketplace store.
Q: How much does Walmart WFS cost compared to other fulfillment options?
Walmart's fulfillment costs are generally competitive with industry standards, with Multichannel Solutions specifically averaging 15% lower than comparable services according to Walmart. Storage fees match WFS standard rates, and vary based on time of year, required storage space, and other factors. Similarly, fulfillment fees vary based on item size, weight, and shipping speed, but Walmart offers order-level discounts for items under 30 pounds when customers purchase multiple units in a single order.
Q: Do I need to list products on Walmart.com to use multichannel fulfillment?
Yes, you need to create product listings in Walmart's system to use Multichannel Solutions, since you must be an approved Walmart Marketplace seller with WFS enrollment to access MCS. However, you can configure specific products to be available for external channel fulfillment only, which means they won't be available to Walmart.com shoppers even though they exist in the system for inventory management purposes.
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