Walmart held its Let’s Grow! Seller Summit in San Francisco this week, where it announced a number of new opportunities for sellers on its marketplace platform. One of the headline-grabbing announcements: Walmart will allow sellers to list used goods — including used watches and trading cards. Bloomberg (paywall) reported that the move came “as the retailer looks to continue to grow its e-commerce business and capture more sales from rivals such as eBay Inc. and Amazon.com Inc.”
It’s no coincidence that luxury watches and trading cards are two of eBay’s top priorities, which the company calls “focus categories.” Walmart Marketplace has seen 30% sales growth in each of the last four quarters, it says, and is a key driver of its “sustained e-commerce success.” Walmart explained its “Resold at Walmart” and “Collectibles” offerings in this week’s announcement:
“Resold at Walmartits first digital destination for used items across multiple categories and conditions from performance-driven sellers. With five million items from more than 1,700 sellers, the integrated assortment offers customers a growing selection of goods from luxury fashion and electronics to collectibles, sporting goods and more at the price they expect from Walmart. By extending the life of these products, Resold at Walmart aligns with our commitment to make the more sustainable choice the everyday choice and builds on the success of Walmart Restored, a collection of refurbished electronics and small appliances powered by Walmart Marketplace.
“Collectibles: Walmart is enriching the collector experience by offering customers new ways to acquire coveted collectibles and connecting sellers with the fast-growing market of enthusiasts who shop its shelves. The Collector Shop now allows sellers to enable pre-orders to build customer anticipation for new releases, including new releases exclusive to Walmart. The experience adds pre-owned terms for collectibles under “Resold at Walmart.” Eligible sellers can benefit from 0% commission fees on collectibles and more, including action figures, dolls, trading cards, sports memorabilia, comic books, records and musical instruments, through October 31.”
In Tuesday’s announcement, Tom Ward, chief eCommerce officer of Walmart US, was quoted as saying: “At Walmart, we are executing on strategic priorities that help us become customers’ first choice – every day, every season, for every item. Walmart Marketplace is an important part of that mission. We know the importance of personalized, seamless omnichannel experiences, and Walmart continues to evolve its digital and fulfillment capabilities, including the new categories and features we announced today that enhance the overall experience for customers and sellers on Walmart.com.”
Walmart introduced Walmart LocalFinds “with direct pickup and delivery from sellers’ stores” and announced the following new tools for sellers:
- A redesigned Global Seller Center and app will enable seamless onboarding for eligible sellers in any market, allowing them to cross borders and go global by selling in the U.S., Mexico, Chile, and Canada. Sellers participating in Let’s Grow! 2024 will be the first to access the new cross-listing feature and free translations.
- Walmart is waiving peak season storage fees for sellers who ship their inventory to WFS fulfillment centers by September 30. Sellers are encouraged to ship their inventory as early as possible to meet customer demand for holiday sales and Walmart events.
- To help sellers grow their holiday business, Walmart Marketplace Capital is expanding its offerings to provide qualified sellers access to cash advances up to $5 million for each qualified seller.
- Walmart is currently rolling out a new Deals Dashboard that makes it easier for sellers to enter items into Walmart’s popular deals events. The feature also provides sellers with more data and insights to improve the quality of deals and provide more deals to customers during the holidays.
The full announcement can be found on Walmart.com.
