Walmart expands support for Indian third-party sellers
Walmart continues to develop infrastructure for its burgeoning India sourcing initiative.
The discount giant, which began inviting select Indian sellers to apply to join Walmart Marketplace in January 2022, is seeking to bring 40,000 new sellers onto the Marketplace platform this year. Walmart also plans to expand its Marketplace assortment to offer over 200 million items, from its current selection of nearly 170 million products.
The company says it sees particular potential for India-made products in popular categories like furniture, bedding, and home décor on Walmart Marketplace. Walmart plans to increase its sourcing from India to $10 billion worth of merchandise a year by 2027.
Walmart launched its India initiative by leading a $1.2 billion financing round in July 2020 to obtain a 77% majority share in Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart. It also made a strategic joint investment with Flipkart into Indian agricultural supply chain technology platform Ninjacart in December 2021.
According to Walmart, its “Make in India” export commitment reflects India’s continuing rise as a global manufacturing hub and is expected to provide a significant boost to micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in India. The effort joins ongoing MSME-focused initiatives the retailer is supporting in India, such as the Walmart Vriddhi supplier development program.
A cross-border trade training program is now being developed under Vriddhi to help sellers prepare to begin leveraging the digital supply chain to sell overseas. Indian sellers on Walmart Marketplace are also being guided by a new Walmart Cross Border Trade team in India.
Sellers will have a dedicated account manager to help them onboard and take advantage of tools like Walmart Fulfilment Services, which lets sellers offer two-day delivery to most of the U.S.; with Walmart handling warehousing and delivery, as well as returns. India sellers will also be able to use the Walmart Connect media platform to help run targeted advertising and marketing campaigns.
[Read more: Walmart continues revamping ad platform]
In addition, sellers will be able to utilize a network of solutions providers like Payoneer. The global digital commerce company offers multi-currency payments solutions and India-focused services like automated Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate (FIRC); along with access to legal, tax and compliance support, as well as global shipping and logistics services.
“Now is the ideal time for sellers from India to get started as exporters on Walmart Marketplace,” Michelle Mi, Walmart VP, emerging markets and business development – global sourcing, said at a recent summit Walmart hosted for 650 invited Indian sellers. “It’s already one of the top online marketplaces in the U.S., and we’re investing heavily to help new sellers bring great products and service to the platform. As one of the first batch of Indian sellers on the Marketplace, those who join us now will have a great opportunity to find success in the U.S. as part of a curated community of trusted sellers.”
“Digitalization and e-commerce are the gateway to amazing opportunities here in India and in markets around the world,” said Rajneesh Kumar, chief corporate affairs officer, Flipkart Group, at the summit. “Over the past decade, Flipkart has helped build a strong supply chain ecosystem in India, enabling hundreds of thousands of local businesses to begin selling online as part of India’s digital retail revolution. This is not only great for local consumers and companies, but also expands the pool of export-ready Indian businesses that can now take advantage of this opportunity on Walmart Marketplace.”