Walmart has begun a push to attract UK exporters to its Marketplace platform, which is the second-largest online store in the US, behind Amazon.
With more than 120 million shoppers each month, sellers approved to join the US Marketplace will be able to access a dedicated onboarding team as well as tools and services to help them scale up across the Atlantic. This includes the opportunity to get their goods to US customers within two days.
The move expands on decades of Walmart’s engagement with UK retailing via its ownership of Asda and comes as the British government increases efforts to promote UK goods beyond the EU with its ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ campaign.
Darren Carithers, senior VP of Marketplace Development for Walmart International, offered British exporters the “full support of the Walmart team” as the world’s biggest retailer continues to invest heavily in the online channel to drive future growth.
He added: “We are confident that UK sellers will be able to leverage Britain’s reputation for design and manufacturing excellence and product quality to thrive as Marketplace sellers and bring more choice to our US customers with speed and scale.”
UK companies already on the platform include STATSports, BuyBox and Pertemba.
Walmart is hosting a UK sellers summit on Friday in London to promote the benefits of its Marketplace, with support from Payoneer, an online payment provider, and Linnworks, an commerce automation platform. Manufacturers and exporters from an array of sectors, ranging from fashion, home and kitchen to sporting goods, beauty and entertainment, have been invited to attend.
Walmart started inviting third-party US sellers to its Marketplace in 2009, with international sellers joining the site from 2021 onwards. It expects to add 40,000 sellers to the platform this year alone.
Last week, an analyst suggested that Walmart could make its Marketplace store available to shoppers in the UK.
NAM Implications:
- Amazon (and Alibaba) need scalable online competition…
- And a fast-learning, pragmatic Walmart may fit the bill.
- And if Amazon and Walmart each pursue price-following strategies…
- …given the cost of fulfilment…
- …the rest are in for a rough ride.
