Walmart and Amazon are the world’s largest eCommerce players and cutthroat competitors in multiple industries. So, as an online seller, not listing your products on either marketplace means an immense missed opportunity. Multichannel marketing is the way to go nowadays. Not only does it offer you more exposure, but it also gives you more growth potential since multichannel buyers spend 3x to 4x more than a single-channel buyer.
Both Amazon’s FBA and FBM, however, are quite different than Walmart’s WFS or individual third-party fulfilment and sales program. That’s because they cater to different audiences and use different engagement and logistics rules. So, if you’re looking to move your products to the Walmart platform, here are 4 essential points to keep in mind.
- Watch out for product ID mismatches
To legally sell your product anywhere in the world, as well as to easily manage your inventory on any online marketplace, you need a product identifying number. This is universally known as a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). The 2 most popular GTINs are UPC (universal product code) for USA and Canada, and EAN (European Article Number) for Europe. When listing your jewelry products on Amazon or Walmart, you’ll need either one of these.
Amazon automatically assigns their own ID number to every product GTIN (including for each product variation on each international platform – .uk, .jp, .com, etc.), called an ASIN. Walmart does not do so. They only use the UPC you provide. This makes your listing more susceptible to errors. For example, if you’ve mistyped your code or if another seller has mistakenly assigned your (legitimate) UPC to one of their products, then you’ll have issues appearing under the correct product name in searches.
To minimize the risk of this happening, you should:
- Make sure your supplier is a GS1 member
- If you’re buying the UPCs yourself, then get them directly from GS1
- Apply for a GTIN exemption for already established brands, and particularly for jewelry products
Lastly, if you’re struggling with an identifier mismatch, then contact the Walmart Support team to help you remedy the issue.
- Watch out for product ID mismatches
- Optimize your listing
On Amazon, your listing optimization will depend on the following factors:
- Categories and subcategories
- Content SEO
- Images and media
- Reviews
Walmart’s search algorithm works differently than Amazon’s, focusing less on the category, and more on the other points. That is good news for jewelry products, as there is only one category and subcategory assigned to this industry on the platform – jewelry. Not only that, but Walmart also prioritizes post-sale performance which is influenced not only by customer ratings but also by your order defect rate and policy adherence.
When it comes to listing optimization, Walmart has a few different best practices outside of the common bullet points and keywords. Here are some of those:
- Walmart’s algorithm relies heavily on exact matches for searches (unlike Amazon which also uses broad matches); therefore, try to structure your titles as closely to what a customer might search as possible
- Do not simply copy and paste your content from Amazon or any other platform, as this infringes on Walmart’s policy and could get your listing or even seller privileges removed
- Understand Walmart’s both online and offline buyer demographics, talk to them directly, and structure your offers around their needs
- Make use of their Listing Quality Dashboard to increase your Listing Quality Score (LQS)
- Review Walmart’s item limitations and standards policy
- Do not break up your product variations across multiple listings, but keep them in one place for ease of access and higher review scores
- Optimize your listing
- Use specific Walmart UVP opportunities
Your UVP (unique value proposition) is how you stand out on any online platform. Both Amazon and Walmart want their sellers to make use of their own features. These put you, as a seller, at an advantage not only from the algorithm’s viewpoint, but also from the buyer’s perspective. So, you both rank higher and make a better impression on your leads.
Four such opportunities exist on the Walmart platform:
- Fast shipping – 3 programs: free 2 day delivery, free 3 day delivery, and WFS
- Multipacks and bundles – allow you to sell your products under multiple listings, increase your average order value (AOV), and take advantage of seasonal / holiday gift shopping which is key for jewelry items
- Brand Portal – register yourself as the official brand owner and avoid the risk of your items being copied and sold by another third-party seller
- Sponsored Products – help you kickstart sales for a new product and gather feedback on customer needs and wants
- Use specific Walmart UVP opportunities
- Take advantage of external resources
Since Walmart has become such an eCommerce giant, multiple third-party services have risen to help sellers optimize their listings and sales growth on the platform. However, knowing which one best suits your business can be challenging.
Valigara Online Management Software is not only one of the top multichannel sales management tools in eCommerce, but also the only one focusing exclusively on helping jewelry sellers. From inventory to logistics to marketing, we help you understand your market, optimize your listings, and automate your business operations.
As a rule of thumb, proper research, platform-tailored strategy, and making use of solid technological tools will help your listings stand out online. The above tips will help you further narrow down your focus when navigating the Walmart marketplace and optimizing your offer, so that your sales and brand image can skyrocket.
