Walmart Marketplace seller requirements: what you need to get approved
Walmart Marketplace is more selective than most marketplaces: it vets sellers before they can list. Having everything ready before you apply is the difference between a quick approval and weeks of back-and-forth.
What you need before applying
Walmart lists:
- a business tax ID or business license number — a Social Security number isn’t accepted;
- documents that verify your business name and address;
- a history of marketplace or eCommerce success;
- products with GTINs/UPCs (GS1 company prefix numbers);
- a catalog that complies with Walmart’s Prohibited Products Policy;
- fulfillment through Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) or another B2C US warehouse with returns capability.
The onboarding steps
Creating the account itself takes a few minutes. Then:
- Verify your business — your entity type and tax registration, plus a government-issued ID for the applicant or legal representative. Walmart says your tax registration must match your IRS records or government documents exactly. Verification takes from a few minutes to two business days.
- Choose your payout method — sign up with a third-party payment processor and link it in Seller Center.
- Add market details — your display name (see Walmart display name rules) and customer service contact information.
- Manage fulfillment — set your shipping methods and returns.
- Set up your catalog.
New sellers also go through a New Seller Payment Hold once they start selling, to build up sales history; how long depends on your country of incorporation.
Why applications are delayed or denied
From Walmart’s own tips:
- A prohibited product in your catalog. Walmart says that if you have just one prohibited item in your catalog, your application will be denied. Prohibited products include hazardous materials, alcohol, certain foods and offensive products — review the full list first.
- No selling track record. Walmart says it closely vets sellers and takes being an established, credible seller seriously.
- Tax details that don’t match. A business name or tax ID that differs from your IRS records slows verification.
- Gaps in the application. Walmart advises filling in everything up front to avoid delays in review.
Selling from outside the US
Sellers based outside the US provide extra, country-specific documents. For example, sellers in India provide documents such as a company PAN card, GST registration certificate and certificate of incorporation.
Once you’re approved, check what Walmart’s referral fees leave you with the Walmart fee calculator. To stay in good standing after that, see Walmart Seller Performance Standards.