Walmart unveiled new marketplace upgrades, AI-powered tools, and seller incentives at its annual Walmart Marketplace Seller Summit, which took place Aug 26th and 27th.
New AI tools include:
- AI-Powered Listing Tool – to reduce time adding items individually or in bulk
- Smart Assistant – providing 24/7 real-time support. (That's “real-time,” not “real-person.” LOL)
- Seller Advisors Program – provides a direct line of feedback to Walmart leaders to help improve seller programs and tools and foster a healthy business ecosystem. (Shots fired Amazon!)
- Shipping Settings and Services – sellers who self-fulfill can automate delivery promises by region instead of having one national promise.
- Brand Portal – to help brands protect their IP and flag fraudulent activity with an enhanced focus on product authenticity.
New seller incentives include:
- 0% referral fee on all qualifying toys
- 50% referral fee reduction on all qualifying pet supplies
- Up to 100% referral fee reductions on qualifying top-selling items across categories
Other announcements and upgrades include:
- Next-Day Shipping in Major Metros – including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Houston and Atlanta.
- Competitive Rates – Walmart Fulfillment Services say it offers rates that average 15% less than competitors.
- In-Store Digital Discovery – In April, Walmart opened its new Cypress, Texas, location, which features digital QR codes throughout the store that allow customers to access digital tools, services and an extended online assortment. (More on that from Modern Retail.)
Walmart also announced that it's inviting U.K. and European businesses to attend its U.K. Seller Summit in London to learn how to sell to its customers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Chile. Attendees are promised to receive localized guidance, deep dives into cross-border growth, and breakout sessions featuring conversations, success stories, and direct access to solution providers.
Daniel Sodkiewicz, co-founder of GeekSeller, attended the Walmart Seller's Summit and did some live coverage of the event if you'd like to see some behind-the-scenes content and read additional insights.