Walmart rolling out new tools for third-party sellers
Retailers participating on the Walmart Marketplace third-party seller platform have access to new self-service and promotional features.
Timed for the upcoming 2022 holiday shopping season, Walmart Connect, the closed-loop media business for Walmart, is offering new ways for Walmart Marketplace sellers to boost discoverability and sales. Walmart Connect offers advertisers the ability to serve personalized, time- and context-specific ads across customer touchpoints including media placements on in-store TV walls and self-checkout screens, Walmart digital properties, mobile devices, and corporate events.
[Read more: Walmart has big plans for its Walmart Connect ad platform]
In October 2022, the Walmart Connect Search Brand Amplifier solution will become available to Marketplace sellers. Search Brand Amplifier boosts advertised products to the top of search results. Previously limited to managed suppliers and a small number of managed sellers, Search Brand Amplifier will soon be available for the first time to Marketplace sellers who are registered with Walmart’s Brand Portal.
Walmart suppliers and eligible Marketplace sellers will be able to launch and manage their own Search Brand Amplifier campaigns through the self-serve Walmart Ad Center platform. Sellers will also have access to Search Brand Amplifier through the Walmart Platform Partners program. The retailer says it will release more details soon.
In addition, Walmart is now automatically onboarding all new Marketplace sellers on its Walmart Ad Center self-serve ad platform, eliminating the previous three-day enrollment process. The retailer is also rolling out automated onboarding to existing Marketplace sellers. Later in September, Walmart is enhancing the Ad Center with a new look and step-by-step instructions.
And as Walmart Marketplace continues to expand its international availability – most recently to Canada, the U.K., and India – it is adding more API partners that offer global support. The company says it is focusing on “countries where sellers are,” like China. New global Walmart Marketplace partners are scheduled to begin joining the platform before the end of the third quarter.
[Read more: Walmart opens U.S. marketplace to Canadian sellers]
Furthermore, Walmart is releasing two resources intended to help third-party sellers optimize their sponsored search campaigns and be retail-ready in time for the 2022 holiday season:
- Marketplace Insights Guide: Offers customer insights and instructions on how to attract and connect with Walmart customers.
- Walmart Connect Holiday Search Guide: Offers holiday-specific guidance for third-party sellers.
“Marketplace sellers are critical to helping our customers save time and money by offering what they need on Walmart.com and the Walmart app,” said Mike Greenberg, head of marketplace (Walmart Connect), in a corporate blog post. “We’re excited to continue expanding our offerings that make it easier for sellers to connect with our customers, and deliver more resources to help you get the most out of our solutions, to make Walmart Marketplace an essential platform for your business.”
Based in Bentonville, Ark., Walmart operates more than 10,500 stores and clubs under 46 banners in 24 countries and e-commerce websites.