Walmart offers fulfillment services for sellers through Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) just as Amazon does through FBA. Amazon lets sellers take advantage of its Prime subscription program so sellers’ listings display as shipping for free for Prime members.
Now Walmart is similarly letting sellers who don’t use its fulfillment service to use the Walmart+ badge to attract shoppers in the same way Amazon does through Seller-Fulfilled Prime. “The Walmart+ badge is now available for items you fulfill on your own! Walmart+ members know that badged items are shipped fast and free by reliable sellers, which can help increase conversion and GMV.”
A landing page on Walmart Marketplace explains the Seller-Fulfilled Walmart Plus program, including how to qualify.
To be eligible for the Walmart+ badge program, you must meet the following criteria:
- Operate a business located in the U.S.
- Fulfill badged items for free to Walmart + members in three calendar days or less.
- Maintain an On-Time Delivery rate of 90% or better and a Seller Cancellation Rate under 2.5%.
Walmart described the benefits as follows: “Make your item listings stand out to Walmart’s most loyal customers with the Walmart+ badge – now available for items you fulfill yourself. Walmart+ badges signal trust to customers and improve listing discoverability, which helps increase conversion and GMV.”
More specifically, Walmart said listings with the Walmart+ badge appear higher in search results thanks to increased engagement, and Walmart+ offers are more likely to be included in promotional events.
Walmart also announced a new shipping calculator that lets sellers who self-fulfill compare carrier rates and speeds.