Walmart Canada offers third-party sellers hosted fulfillment

For the first time in Canada, Walmart third-party marketplace sellers will have access to Walmart Fulfillment Services.

Walmart Canada is now making its logistics and fulfilment solutions available to Walmart Marketplace sellers with the launch of Walmart Fulfilment Services in Canada. As a result, third-party Walmart sellers in Canada will be able to offer two-day shipping or in-store pickup to customers, making delivery faster than in a typical Walmart Marketplace experience.

Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) offers end-to-end fulfillment services and customer support, including returns, for Walmart Marketplace sellers. Customers of participating third-party sellers will also be able to make in-store returns for most items purchased through the Marketplace platform following the retailer’s standard return policy.

There are no inventory requirements or minimums to participate. Walmart Canada allows sellers of all sizes to leverage Walmart Fulfilment Services. Since its launch in 2017, Walmart Canada Marketplace has grown to sell more than 50 million items from more than 7,000 sellers, including thousands based in Canada.

Walmart Canada invests billions of dollars in supply chain
In its broader operational strategy, Walmart Canada is making a $3.5 billion investment to generate growth and speed up the flow of products through the company’s supply chain across Canada. The supply chain portion of the investment will include $1.1 billion dedicated to building two new distribution centers and renovating an existing facility to speed up product flow.

Walmart is also investing in new technology to accelerate the pickup experience, including advanced notification, and to improve its fulfilment center operations to increase speed and trackability.

The discounter is also deploying new leading-edge distribution center technologies. These include next-generation warehouse systems which are “omni- capable” in meeting the future needs of both physical stores and e-commerce, and investing in telematics and “internet of things” sensors across over 2,200 trailers to give real-time information around the quality and freshness of deliveries.

In addition, Walmart Canada will launch artificial intelligence software in partnership with o9 to more accurately predict and better plan volume to ensure customers get what they want, when they want. It also is scaling the blockchain transportation payments platform with Toronto-based DLT Labs.

“Walmart Fulfilment Services is the foundation to building the most convenient, affordable and fastest fulfilment ecosystem in Canada,” says Laurent Duray, chief e-commerce officer, Walmart Canada. “The launch of Walmart Fulfilment Services in Canada is a vote of confidence in omnichannel as we build a best-in-class experience for our customers with our Marketplace as an important growth driver.”

“We’re bringing Walmart’s logistics, one of the best in Canada, to our third-party sellers, enhancing their opportunity on Walmart.ca while creating even more choice and better service for our customers,” said Daniel Farmer, VP digital platforms & marketplace, Walmart Canada. “By empowering our sellers with more options for warehousing and fast shipping, we’re making it easier for sellers of every size to bring their products to our customers.”

Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores nationwide.