Views: 139 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2022-08-08 Origin: Site
The implementation of Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) is an absolute rule changer that brings Walmart closer to matching Amazon's ability to serve customers with fast and reliable shipping. WFS also opens up Walmart's marketplace to new sellers who otherwise would not be able to ship to customers at scale.
In this Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) guide by 7 parts:
What is Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS)?
Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) is a fulfillment service offered by Walmart that provides Walmart sellers with inventory storage, order fulfillment, returns and even customer service.
Similar to Amazon's Fulfillment for Amazon sellers, WFS allows Walmart Marketplace sellers to handle other aspects of their business while allowing Walmart's extensive fulfillment network to handle order picking, packing and shipping.
As a relatively new service offered by Walmart, only 38% of Walmart sellers use WFS.
Walmart Fulfillment Services allows sellers to store their inventory in Walmart-owned distribution centers. When an order is placed on Walmart.com, the WFS team picks, packs and ships the order on behalf of the seller. Walmart also manages customer support and returns for orders shipped through WFS.
Walmart has one of the most impressive supply chains in the world, ranked No. 8 on the 2021 Gartner Supply Chain Top 25. marketplace sellers using WFS can take advantage of the scale, reach and efficiency that Walmart has worked hard to perfect over the years.
Seeing the level of success Amazon sellers have had using Amazon FBA, Walmart created a similar service to help Walmart Marketplace sellers expand their business through WFS.
WFS could be a great option for sellers large and small who need end-to-end fulfillment. wfs also makes it easier for existing amazon sellers to diversify their revenue and adopt a more omni-channel approach to e-commerce.
As they say, don't put all your eggs in one basket.
WFS certainly has its advantages, but there are also some disadvantages sellers should be aware of. Let's review the pros and cons of WFS.
Walmart+ two-day free shipping: Your WFS items will be included in the Walmart+ subscription plan, which delivers products to customers within just two days in the continental U.S. (Not guaranteed during peak season, i.e., September through January.)
Ship your inventory to Walmart distribution centers: Simply create a shipment in Walmart's Seller Central and ship your products to one of Walmart's many distribution centers. Your products are usually in stock and ready to ship within two days of receipt.
Walmart ships all your orders: Focus your time on other aspects of your Walmart business by letting WFS handle picking, packing and shipping orders for your customers.
Increase product visibility and conversion: According to the WFS Help page, when using WFS, your products will show up as two-day delivery and Walmart labels, increasing sales by an average of 50 percent.
Consumers trust Walmart: Walmart is a household name, and many consumers live within 10 miles of a Walmart retail store. Along with Amazon, Walmart.com is the second largest online shopping destination for consumers. When WFS ships your order, your customers will receive it with Walmart-branded packaging.
Walmart handles customer service: For orders shipped using WFS, Walmart will take care of any customer complaints or issues for you.
Excellent seller support: Walmart says WFS Associates is committed to helping you grow your business. Will it be better than Amazon seller support? Let's hope so!
No multi-channel fulfillment: Walmart will only fulfill the orders you receive on Walmart.com. You can't use your WFS inventory to ship orders for other malls or websites like you can with Amazon Logistics.
No international shipping: Walmart U.S. will only ship to addresses in the U.S. and U.S. territories.
Customer returns are easy: Returns are an inevitable reality of e-commerce. When using WFS, customers have the option to return purchases to the distribution center or return them in-store.
Product Requirements: Certain requirements may limit the ability of some sellers to use WFS. To use WFS, your products must meet the following requirements.
Be able to be shipped to an adjacent Walmart fulfillment center in the United States:
· No perishable or regulated products
· Maximum product weight of 150 lbs.
· Maximum product length of 108"
· Maximum product length + 165" circumference
Now that you know what Walmart WFS is and its pros and cons, how do you get started?
Before you can start using WFS, you must first become a Walmart Marketplace seller. If you're not, your first step is to apply to become a seller.
Getting started with WFS is not as easy as using FBA. With FBA, any Amazon seller can simply create shipments in Seller Central and send products to Amazon. With WFS, sellers must first apply for the program.
· Join the WFS program after creating your Walmart Marketplace account.
· Use the WFS dashboard to set up your items.
· Create inbound orders from the Manage Inventory section under WFS in Seller Central.
· Create heavily discounted shipping labels using Walmart's Preferred Carrier Program.
· Pack your products according to your shipping schedule and Walmart's packaging and preparation requirements.
· Label your boxes and send them to the appropriate carriers.
Now that you know the pros and cons of using WFS, is it right for your business?
You can use WFS if you meet the following criteria:
· Want to expand your e-commerce business to other markets without having to deal with fulfillment
· Want to attract a new, loyal audience that might not otherwise shop on Amazon
· Sell small, lightweight products
· Don't have the time or space to ship orders
· Want your products to be Walmart+ eligible
· Want Walmart to handle customer service and returns
However, WFS is not recommended if you are:
· Sell very large and/or heavy products
· Use a third-party fulfillment service for your e-commerce channel
· Have your own storage and fulfillment capabilities
· Prefer to handle customer service and returns
· Doesn't know how well your products are selling on Walmart
As with any other e-commerce platform, it comes down to what works best for your business. Since WFS is still a fairly new service offered by Walmart, we thought it would be worthwhile to test some of your best-selling products.
Of course, you don't need to use WFS to sell on the Walmart Marketplace. Sellers can choose to deliver their own orders or use a third-party distribution center. Walmart sellers who don't use WFS can request to use Walmart's expedited shipping options, which are two-day and three-day delivery.
WFS offers sellers a powerful alternative or complement to FBA. wfs also offers free two-day shipping on orders over $35 - no Walmart+ membership required. On the other hand, FBA reserves free one-day and two-day shipping options for Prime members.
FBA requires sellers to ship inventory to multiple operations centers. Currently, sellers only have to ship to one or two Walmart fulfillment centers, which makes the process easier than FBA.
