How would you feel about McDonald’s opening branches inside Burger King restaurants? Sounds peculiar. Equally intriguing is the notion of Walmart adopting Amazon as a blueprint for its strategic moves. Why is it not advisable to transfer Amazon’s strategy and techniques to Walmart and what are the potential consequences? Let’s delve into the main popular mistakes of this and look at Walmart through Amazon.
Walmart’s Web: Top Slip-Ups Amazon Sellers Often Make And How To Avoid Them
If you have a store on Amazon and are considering utilizing the same listings on Walmart or vice versa, it’s essential to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach. Copying strategies between these platforms can lead to pitfalls. Walmart has its own unique marketplace dynamics, and blindly replicating Amazon’s listings may result in limited inventory tracking, errors in product listings, and potential policy violations. Let’s break down some common mistakes sellers make when transitioning from Amazon to Walmart.
Limited Inventory on Walmart
Some sellers, mainly concentrating on Amazon, often make the error of listing just a few items on Walmart with low inventory. They might not even notice when it’s time to restock because they’re only monitoring their FBA inventory. This lack of attention can result in stock shortages at Walmart, affecting the customer experience. It’s essential to track and manage inventory separately for each platform.
Copying Amazon Listings Exactly
Do you want to make your Walmart listings look the same as Amazon’s? Not the best idea. Some sellers make the mistake of duplicating their Amazon listings on Walmart without realizing that this is not allowed. This includes using the same wording, pricing, and product data. Such an approach not only leads to errors in Walmart listings but also misses opportunities for better search rankings. It’s crucial to note that Walmart utilizes UPC (Universal Product Code) as its primary product identifier, while Amazon relies on ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number). UPC is a standardized barcode widely used in retail, assigning a unique code to each product. On the other hand, ASIN is a unique identifier created by Amazon for product cataloging within its system. They are different, so you can’t copy catalog from one marketplace to another.
Attempting to fulfill Walmart orders using Amazon FBA (MCF)
Despite Walmart Marketplace explicitly prohibiting the utilization of Amazon FBA, some sellers might still attempt this approach. Walmart’s guidelines explicitly state that sellers should refrain from using FBA or any system that delivers Walmart-purchased items in competitors’ packaging, as it can lead to customer confusion and implicitly advertise another marketplace.
This prohibition extends to Amazon Logistics shipping as well. Violating these rules can result in auto-canceled orders, warnings, restrictions, and potential suspension.
Neglecting Sales Promotion
Instead of giving their Walmart listings a fair chance, some sellers just list their products without putting in the effort to boost sales. They miss out on advertising opportunities, attracting reviews, offering two-day shipping, and other tactics that could help gain momentum on the Walmart platform.
Strategic Steps to Outshine the Competition on Walmart
Embarking on the journey to sell on Walmart requires a tailored strategy to align with the unique dynamics of this marketplace. Here’s a detailed guide to help you get ahead.
Optimize Logistics Solutions
Walmart strictly rejects packages fulfilled by Amazon, so finding an alternative third-party logistics (3PL) partner is essential. Sellers can use Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS). Walmart’s in-house fulfillment service allows sellers to store their products in Walmart’s fulfillment centers. Walmart takes care of the picking, packing, and shipping of orders. Walmart’s requirements and integrate with the Walmart Marketplace.
Remember that Walmart may update its policies and approved fulfillment methods, so it’s crucial to check their official resources or contact Walmart Seller Support for the most current information. Additionally, sellers should stay informed about the specific fulfillment rules and policies set by each platform they operate on.
Automate Tedious Tasks
Investing in multichannel software is crucial for efficient catalog listing on Walmart. To help with this issue, M2E Sales Channels has a smart tool for managing your goods when you sell on different websites like Walmart and Amazon. Our Online catalog it’s like a control center that keeps track of how much you have in stock on each site. You can make your Walmart listings look the same as Amazon’s. If you already have products listed on Amazon and their details in an Excel CSV file, you can easily upload it to the M2E Online Catalog. Once your products are in the M2E Catalog, adding them to Walmart becomes a simple process. This catalog option makes adding products quick and easy. You can conveniently manage all product information, like:
- prices,
- quantities,
- sales data,
- images, and more.
It’s user-friendly and helps keep track of your inventory across different platforms effortlessly.
M2E Online Catalog Features
Also effortlessly replicating listings is achievable when a user utilizes M2E Cloud Catalog. Within the catalog, there exists the option ‘Product Create > ‘Based on Channel product’. Consequently, a newly created product from Amazon can be chosen for placement on Walmart, taking advantage of the convenient ‘Based on Channel product’ feature. However, due to the distinct requirements of each marketplace, some adjustments to the product data may be necessary. While we boast a user-friendly, one-click product creation in our catalog, ensuring seamless management requires attention to detail, aligning product data with the specific requirements of the targeted marketplace. How it works, you can see in the Catalog demo 👇
Also M2E Cloud empowers Amazon sellers to efficiently manage their inventory on Walmart with features like:
- real-time sales data analysis,
- predictive inventory demand insights,
- automatic updates.
By utilizing M2E Cloud, sellers can eliminate the risks of under-and overstocking, gaining better control over stock availability. With its user-friendly interface available in multiple languages (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish), M2E Cloud simplifies e-commerce inventory management for Amazon sellers venturing into Walmart, providing a seamless and efficient solution to enhance their cross-channel inventory control.
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Embrace Walmart Advertising
Explore Walmart’s pay-per-click ad feature, Sponsored Products, to boost visibility and stimulate purchases. However, exercise caution with the bidding process. Understanding Walmart’s first-price bidding auction is crucial, and opting for manual bidding allows you to maintain control over costs. Additionally, make sure your advertised product listings are fully optimized to convert clicks into purchases.
Build Sales Creatively
Utilize product kits and bundles to drive up average order value (AOV) creatively. Listing non-competitive SKUs exclusively on Walmart can help avoid potential pricing conflicts across channels. To boost your reputation and click-through rates, consider directing off-channel promotions, such as social media ads, to your Walmart listings.
Implementing these strategic steps will help you navigate the intricacies of the Walmart Marketplace, positioning your brand for success. Remember, a well-thought-out approach and proactive measures can significantly impact your performance and long-term growth at Walmart.
Final Words
In summary, succeeding in Walmart’s marketplace requires a tailored strategy. While there are some similarities to Amazon, Walmart’s approach is unique. Sellers should avoid common mistakes, use tools like M2E Sales Channels, and adhere to Walmart’s rules.
Differentiating from Amazon, Walmart focuses on distinctive listing and fulfillment rules and competitive pricing. Sellers must adapt to Walmart’s audience, demographics, and evolving marketplace.
Key steps include early application, optimized logistics, task automation, leveraging advertising, and creatively boosting sales. Following these strategies positions sellers for success at Walmart, tapping into its growing potential as an e-commerce platform.
