It's Hard But Not Impossible
There are a few things you need to do in order to get your products into Walmart. The first step is to create a product that meets Walmart's standards. Your product should be high quality, affordable, and available at a variety of locations.
You can also increase your chances of getting your product into Walmart by building a relationship with the store's buyers. Working with a packaging manufacturer that adheres to Walmart's guidelines will help improve the entire process too.
This blog will give you the tips you need to get your product onto their shelves.
Table Of Contents
Why Walmart Stores?
Walmart is an American international corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets and department stores on several continents. The company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and incorporated on October 31, 1969. It also owns and operates Sam's Club retail warehouses. Walmart is the world's second largest public corporation, according to the Fortune Global 500 list in 2012 and the biggest private employer in the world with over two million employees.
Moreover, Walmart continues to be one of the hardest retailers for small businesses to get their products into because they only want to sell high quality items that will bring them a steady stream of customers.
The company also prefers to see products that are available at other retailers or online before they agree to carry them in their stores.
Catching Walmart's Attention
Walmart only wants to carry products that are top sellers in their category. If your product is similar to others already on Walmart's shelves, you'll have the best chances of making it onto their stores' shelves. Walmart also wants to see products that are available at other retailers before they agree to sell them in their warehouse or retail stores.
This is why it's important to build relationships with other retailers if you want your products to be available in Walmart.
Before contacting any buyers at Walmart, make sure you know what types of products they offer and how much money they put into each category. You can easily find this information in Walmart's Seller's Guide. You can also find information about the types of products they sell and the fees they charge in their Distribution Centers section.
Walmart charges a variety of different fees for selling your products to them, but they're primarily based on the square footage of your product's floor space in each store. When you're first starting out, Walmart might not be the best place for you to sell your products because it can take a while before they actually make it into stores.
There are many other options that may be better suited for small businesses like yours. Be sure to check out their Vendor Express program and website sales.
If you failed to get into Walmart in the past, there's hope you can make it on the next round. Don't give up! Keep reading to see our tips.
Meet Their High Standards
Make sure your products are of excellent quality and conform to Walmart's high standards. Quality control is vital to success. If your product doesn't meet Walmart's high standards of quality, you won't be able to sell it there.
Be certain that you can keep up with Walmart's fast-moving inventory process and replenish your goods quickly to maintain a consistent in-stock level at all times.
Price Competitively
Price your products competitively and make sure they are in line with what Walmart is selling similar items for.
Your product must be priced around the same as similar items are being sold at Walmart. After you have done a quick survey, understand that certain suppliers have found that their products don't sell well because they are too high-priced compared to similar items at Walmart, so make sure you price your product effectively.
Create Eye-Catching Designs
Have an attractive and eye-catching product display that stands out from the competition. Walmart's retail stores are designed to be clean, bright, attractive and inviting. Your product display should reflect that design style by being neat, organized and eye-catching.
People don't want to shop for your products in a cluttered or disorganized environment so make sure your displays are clean, well organized, attractive and inviting.
If you need some help, we created a few tips to create packaging aimed at Walmart.
Create A Customer Service Plan
Offer good customer service and respond quickly to any inquiries or complaints. Walmart has strict policies about how suppliers should handle complaints and inquiries so make sure you understand them before selling your products to Walmart.
Be certain that any customer service issues are dealt with promptly and appropriately to avoid holding up orders or slowing down the buying process.
Use Social Media Marketing
Market your products aggressively through social media, advertising, and word-of-mouth marketing. Walmart is a retail behemoth that attracts thousands of people to its stores every day.
Suppliers are expected to work hard to bring in customers through online marketing, advertising, and word-of-mouth marketing techniques.
Finally, if you have the budget, consider hiring a company that specializes in Walmart marketing services or at least hiring an in-house marketing person to help you promote your products online and offline.
It's A Marathon Not A Race
Now the really important thing to remember is this is not a race. Have realistic expectations about how long it will take Walmart to stock your products. If you're new to selling products through the Walmart system, schedule ample time for training before your product is launched at Walmart stores nationwide.
Walmart is a fast-paced retailer that requires suppliers to do their part before getting access to the Walmart factory stores.
Match Their Shipping Schedule
Next, make sure your products and shipping schedules line up with Walmart's product shipping schedule.
If you're shipping your products from afar, make sure you understand what Walmart expects of you. When it comes to following the retailer's product ordering and shipping schedule, you have to be adhere to their needs.
Work With Bennett To Get Into Walmart!
Selling on Walmart is not easy, but it is possible. Start by making sure your product meets their high quality standards and start building relationships with their buyers before you contact them about carrying your product. If you follow this advice, you'll have a better chance of getting your products into Walmart's stores.
Contact us today to get started on a custom quote, and create a fresh design that gets Walmart’s attention.
