Walmart Account Management Services: Operational Insights to Help Marketplace Sellers
The marketplace at Walmart has become a viable option for online sellers looking to access a large and valuable customer base due to its fast-paced growth. In addition to providing an excellent level of service and strict performance standards, Walmart has a "customer-first" mentality that provides sellers visibility but also forces them to maintain operational discipline on an ongoing basis. There are structured processes in place for managing an account with Walmart, therefore Walmart account management services are typically considered when discussing sustainable operations on a marketplace.
Understanding the requirements of Walmart's marketplace
Unlike many other open marketplaces, Walmart has a selective onboarding process and enforces rigorous compliance requirements with respect to the seller’s supply chain. Sellers must maintain high levels of service with respect to their products in terms of quality, fulfillment, and customer service. In addition, Account Management is focused on aligning seller operations with Walmart’s policies and ensuring that the daily responsibilities of the seller are completed accurately and on time.
Core Components of Walmart Account Management
Walmart's Account Management is the coordination of a number of different interrelated activities that collectively impact the performance and visibility of the seller's account. These include but are not limited to:
Seller Account Setup & Configuration
The proper configuration of the seller's account (tax ID, shipping templates, return policies, payment configurations, etc.) from day one allows for a seamless transition to running the seller's marketplace business.
Product Listing & Catalog Management
Proper and accurate listing of product titles, attributes, images, and descriptions is critical for the seller to be able to be found on the marketplace. Walmart places a high priority on structured data and content accuracy.
Inventory Monitoring & Availability Control
Holding the appropriate amount of inventory will prevent the seller from being penalized for running out of inventory and will also enable the seller to provide consistent fulfillment of customer orders.
Shipping and Order Fulfillment
Walmart closely monitors the performance of fulfillment, with a focus on the metrics for valid tracking uploads and on-time shipping. In addition, sellers using Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) or fulfilling their own orders must operate efficiently to fulfill their obligations on the platform.
There are a number of key management areas related to fulfillment that need to be monitored through structured walmart account management services:
- Order flow and dispatch timelines
- Valid tracking information uploads
- Carrier performance and delivery accuracy
Sellers can utilize Walmart account management services to assist with identifying any fulfillment bottlenecks and ensuring consistent service quality.
Performance Metrics and Account Health
Walmart uses specific defined performance indicators for evaluating the seller accounts it manages. Sellers falling below acceptable levels for any performance metric may face listing suppression or an account review. Important performance metrics reviewed by Walmart include:
- On-time delivery rate
- Cancellation and refund rates
- Customer complaint/dispute trends
- Listing quality and compliance scores
Regular performance reviews allow sellers to take corrective actions in a timely manner before their performance issues affect their account standing.
Pricing and Buy Box
Price competitiveness is a major contributor in determining if a seller will be awarded the Buy Box by Walmart. Sellers must balance the need for competitive pricing with the need to control costs and make a profit. When performing account management tasks on walmart.com, there are a number of tasks that sellers need to complete related to pricing:
- Track pricing trends
- Monitor Buy Box eligibility
- Adjust pricing strategy based on demand and competition
Returns and Customer Experience
As a means to provide a good customer experience, Walmart considers customer satisfaction to be a priority. As a result, the seller's ability to engage with customers regarding returns will have a significant positive impact on the seller's overall level of customer satisfaction. Sellers can utilize structured account management services offered by Walmart to help ensure the following:
- Clearly defined return policy with compliance
- Timely response to requests for refunds and replacements
- Professionally handled customer inquiries
The structured approach to account management through Walmart will help sellers build and maintain credibility with customers and reduce the risk that sellers receive negative feedback.
Structured Support and Account Management
As the marketplace and ecommerce operations continue to grow and change, many sellers are beginning to seek external expertise for maintaining their accounts on the marketplace and keeping them organized and compliant with all necessary regulations. Companies such as Caasto work within the broader ecommerce services ecosystem to provide sellers with operational support and structured processes for managing their accounts on multiple marketplaces, including Walmart. The support that these providers offer focuses on the clarity of the processes that need to be completed, as opposed to some form of promotions.
Conclusion
The Walmart Marketplace provides outstanding growth opportunities for sellers; however, successful growth on the Walmart Marketplace relies on the seller's commitment to maintaining good account management practices in accordance with Walmart's guidelines. Each aspect of managing seller accounts, including listing and inventory management, order fulfillment and performance tracking, contributes to providing a stable environment for long-term business success. The structured account management solutions offered by Walmart serve to provide sellers with a standardized process for managing each of these requirements, allowing sellers to consistently meet compliance standards and reduce their overall operational risk while maintaining current with the ever-changing requirements of the marketplace.
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