Accessing the US Market
Walmart Marketplace is the second-largest ecommerce platform in the US. UK sellers can apply to sell on Walmart.com, accessing American consumers who shop outside of Amazon. The opportunity is significant — Walmart.com attracts hundreds of millions of monthly visitors — but the logistics and compliance requirements are more complex than selling on Amazon UK.
Application Process
Walmart's seller application is more selective than Amazon's. They review your ecommerce experience, product range, pricing competitiveness, and fulfilment capabilities before approving your application. Having an established Amazon track record helps, but approval is not guaranteed. Prepare a professional application demonstrating your business capabilities and product quality.
Fulfilment from the UK
You have several options: ship products from the UK to US customers directly (slow and expensive), store inventory with a US-based 3PL that fulfils Walmart orders, or use Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) which works similarly to FBA. WFS is the simplest option but requires sending inventory to Walmart's US warehouses, which means managing international shipping and US import compliance.
Tax and Compliance
Selling in the US requires understanding sales tax obligations across different states, product compliance with US regulations (which differ from UK standards), and potentially registering a US business entity. This is not a casual expansion — it requires proper planning, tax advice, and compliance infrastructure.
Is It Worth the Effort?
For established sellers with strong products and the appetite for international expansion, Walmart represents a genuine growth opportunity in the world's largest consumer market. For smaller sellers still building their UK business, the complexity and investment required may not justify the returns at this stage. Master your home market first, then evaluate international expansion when you have the resources and systems to support it.