Walmart has added new product categories, omnichannel experiences and fulfillment solutions to its eCommerce platform for third-party sellers, Walmart Marketplace.
“We’re bringing all the pieces together to be much more than a marketplace and investing in new ways for sellers to serve customers as we grow together,” Manish Joneja, senior vice president, Walmart Marketplace and Walmart Fulfillment Services, said in a Tuesday (Aug. 27) press release.
The platform’s new product categories include Premium Beauty at Walmart, which features custom storefronts and editorial content; Resold at Walmart, which includes pre-owned items like luxury fashion, electronics and collectibles from 1,700 sellers; and Collector Shop, which focuses on collectibles like action figures, dolls and trading cards.
Walmart Marketplace will also add a new omnichannel experience that will connect shoppers with local retailers through Walmart’s digital channels and offer direct pickup and delivery from sellers’ physical stores. This Walmart LocalFinds offering will launch this fall in Atlanta and Dallas before rolling out to other cities.
The company also introduced new solutions offered by Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS). These include a Multichannel Solutions program that will launch Sept. 10 and let sellers use WFS to fulfill orders from any eCommerce site via Walmart’s supply chain; a Walmart Cross Border import service in which WFS will handle the transportation of full-container-load shipments from ports of origin in Asia to WFS facilities in the United States; and an expansion of the Walmart Preferred Carrier program that will let sellers ship a few items or an entire truckload through carriers vetted by Walmart.
“We know the importance of personalized, seamless omnichannel experiences, and Walmart continues to advance its digital and fulfillment capabilities, including the new categories and features we announced today, that enhance the overall customer and seller experience on Walmart.com,” Tom Ward, executive vice president and chief eCommerce officer, Walmart U.S., said in the release.
Walmart launched its third-party marketplace in 2009 to diversify its product offerings and compete with Amazon’s seller ecosystem, PYMNTS reported in September.
The company said in its Tuesday press release that Walmart Marketplace has achieved more than 30% sales growth in each of the past four quarters and that the number of sellers listing items on Walmart.com grew 20% in the last fiscal year.
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