Beginner's Guide to Dropshipping from Walmart
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What is Walmart Drop Shipping?
- Pros and Cons of Drop Shipping with Walmart
- Legalities of Drop Shipping from Walmart
- Items to Avoid Drop Shipping from Walmart
- Finding Winning Products on Walmart
- Choosing the Right Selling Channel
- Importing Products from Walmart to Your Store
- Marketing Your Drop Shipping Store
- Fulfilling Orders with Walmart
- Automating Your Drop Shipping Process with Auto DS
Introduction
Drop shipping has become a popular business model for entrepreneurs looking to start an online store without the hassle of inventory management. In this article, we will explore how you can start drop shipping with Walmart as your supplier. We will cover the basics of Walmart drop shipping, the pros and cons, legal considerations, finding winning products, choosing the right selling channel, importing products to your store, marketing your drop shipping store, fulfilling orders with Walmart, and automating your drop shipping process with Auto DS.
What is Walmart Drop Shipping?
Walmart drop shipping is a fulfillment method where a seller lists products on their online store, but instead of stocking and shipping the products themselves, they rely on Walmart to fulfill the orders. When a customer places an order, the seller sends the order details to Walmart, who then ships the product directly to the customer. The seller never has to handle or store the inventory, making it a convenient option for online retailers.
Pros and Cons of Drop Shipping with Walmart
Pros
- Exclusive deals and discounts: Walmart offers exclusive deals and discounts that allow sellers to offer competitive prices to customers.
- Wide product selection: With Walmart's vast inventory, sellers have access to a wide range of products to choose from, increasing the chances of finding winning products.
- Fast shipping times: Walmart has local warehouses that enable quick shipping, which enhances the customer experience.
- Excellent customer service: Walmart's customer service is known for its reliability and prompt responses, ensuring better support for both sellers and customers.
Cons
- Limited to the US market: As of now, Walmart drop shipping is limited to the US market, potentially limiting your customer reach.
- Payment methods: Walmart has selected payment methods, which might not align with some customers' preferences.
- Restricted items: There are certain items, such as established brands and certain electronics, that sellers should avoid drop shipping from Walmart to avoid legal troubles.
Legalities of Drop Shipping from Walmart
Drop shipping from Walmart is 100% legal and safe to do. However, sellers should be aware of certain restrictions to avoid legal issues. It is important to avoid drop shipping established brands like Apple and Microsoft, as it can potentially lead to copyright infringement and legal troubles. Additionally, certain items like groceries and fragile electronics are also best avoided to ensure customer satisfaction and prevent any potential legal issues.
Items to Avoid Drop Shipping from Walmart
While Walmart offers a wide range of products, there are certain items that sellers should avoid drop shipping from Walmart to ensure a smooth and successful business. Some items to avoid include established brands, groceries, certain electronics like TVs and computers, cell phones, and cell phone plans. By avoiding these items, sellers can prevent potential headaches and legal troubles that might arise from selling such products.
Finding Winning Products on Walmart
Finding winning products on Walmart is crucial for drop shipping success. There are several ways to discover profitable products. One effective method is using the Auto DS product research tool, specifically the winning products section. This tool provides an extensive list of best-selling products on platforms like AliExpress that can be found on Walmart as well. Additionally, exploring Walmart's clearance section, flash picks of the day, and popular seasonal items can also help identify trending products.
Choosing the Right Selling Channel
When it comes to drop shipping with Walmart, sellers have multiple selling channels to choose from. The choice of selling channel depends on factors such as target audience, marketing strategies, and personal preferences. Options include platforms like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, your own online store hosted on Shopify, Wix, or WooCommerce. Each selling channel has its own advantages and marketing strategies, so it is important to thoroughly research and assess which channel aligns best with your business goals.
Importing Products from Walmart to Your Store
Importing products from Walmart to your store can be done manually or through automated processes. The manual method involves visiting the product page on Walmart's website, saving product images, copying important details, and manually adding them to your store. However, this process can be time-consuming. Alternatively, using the Auto DS product import tool streamlines the process by automatically importing products along with their details and images. Bulk importing is also possible, saving even more time and effort.
Marketing Your Drop Shipping Store
Once your store is set up and products are listed, it is crucial to market your drop shipping store to attract customers. The marketing strategies vary depending on the selling channel chosen. For your own website, strategies like influencer marketing, pay-per-click ads, blogs, and email marketing can be effective. Facebook Marketplace offers options like Facebook promotions and selling in Buy and Sell Groups. eBay provides tools like promoted listings, coupons, volume pricing, and sale events. Having a marketing budget and continuously optimizing your marketing efforts will help drive traffic and increase sales.
Fulfilling Orders with Walmart
Fulfilling orders in a timely manner is essential for customer satisfaction. With Walmart drop shipping, there are different options for order fulfillment. Sellers can manually fulfill orders by placing orders on Walmart's website using their own buyer accounts and updating customers with tracking information. However, this can become time-consuming with large order volumes. Alternatively, sellers can take advantage of automation features like automatic order fulfillment or fulfilled by Auto DS. These features streamline the fulfillment process and provide real-time tracking updates to customers.
Automating Your Drop Shipping Process with Auto DS
Auto DS is a platform that offers various automation tools to simplify the drop shipping process. Key features include price and stock monitoring, automated price optimization, automatic tracking updates, an advanced image editor, and one-screen inventory management. These features ensure efficient store management, save time, and maximize profits. By utilizing Auto DS, sellers can streamline their operations and focus on expanding their business.
Conclusion
Drop shipping with Walmart as a supplier can be a profitable venture with the right strategies in place. By understanding the basics of Walmart drop shipping, choosing the right selling channels, finding winning products, importing them efficiently, marketing effectively, fulfilling orders promptly, and utilizing automation tools like Auto DS, entrepreneurs can build a successful drop shipping business. Remember to continuously adapt to market trends and customer demands to stay ahead in this competitive industry.
Highlights:
- Drop shipping with Walmart offers exclusive deals, a wide product selection, fast shipping times, and excellent customer service.
- Avoid drop shipping established brands and certain items like groceries and fragile electronics to prevent legal troubles.
- Finding winning products involves using product research tools and exploring Walmart's clearance section and seasonal items.
- Choose the right selling channel based on target audience and marketing strategies, such as eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or your own website.
- Import products from Walmart manually or through automated processes like Auto DS to streamline the import process.
- Market your drop shipping store using various strategies depending on the selling channel, such as influencer marketing and pay-per-click ads.
- Fulfill orders in a timely manner and provide excellent customer service to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Utilize automation tools like Auto DS for efficient price and stock monitoring, automatic tracking updates, and streamlined inventory management.
FAQs:
Q: Is drop shipping from Walmart legal?
A: Yes, drop shipping from Walmart is 100% legal and safe to do.
Q: What items should I avoid drop shipping from Walmart?
A: It is advisable to avoid drop shipping established brands, groceries, certain electronics like TVs and computers, cell phones, and cell phone plans to prevent potential legal troubles and customer dissatisfaction.
Q: How can I find winning products on Walmart?
A: You can use product research tools like Auto DS or explore Walmart's clearance section, flash picks of the day, and popular seasonal items to discover profitable products.
Q: Which selling channel should I choose for my drop shipping store?
A: The choice of selling channel depends on factors like target audience, marketing strategies, and personal preferences. Options include eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or your own online store hosted on platforms like Shopify, Wix, or WooCommerce.
Q: Can I automate the drop shipping process with Walmart?
A: Yes, automation tools like Auto DS offer features such as automatic order fulfillment, price optimization, and inventory management to streamline the drop shipping process.