Walmart has officially fired its latest shot at Amazon’s dominance with the launch of "Walmart Exports," a seamless cross-border shipping program designed to mirror the long-standing Amazon FBA Export.
Rolling out in early 2026, this program removes the single biggest barrier to international growth for Walmart sellers: logistics complexity. For years, Amazon sellers held a distinct advantage due to their ability to reach global customers effortlessly through established export channels. Walmart has now closed that gap for the North American trade bloc, unifying the US, Canadian, and Mexican markets into a single fulfillment pool.
Unified Inventory, Triple the Reach
The core mechanism of "Walmart Exports" is simplicity. Similar to Amazon’s "Remote Fulfillment with FBA," this new program allows sellers to list their US-based inventory directly on Walmart Canada and Walmart Mexico without moving a single pallet. When a customer in Toronto or Mexico City places an order, Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) picks the item from the existing US warehouse, handles the customs paperwork, and ships it across the border.
Crucially, this is an "Opt-Out" program. By default, eligible WFS inventory is automatically enrolled, meaning sellers will see their listings go live internationally unless they manually disable the feature in Seller Center. This aggressive enrollment strategy suggests Walmart is aiming for an immediate, massive expansion of its international catalog depth.
The "Free" Expansion Strategy
Walmart has structured the program to minimize financial risk for sellers. There are no additional program fees to join, and sellers continue to pay standard US fulfillment and referral rates. The complex costs of international trade—including import duties, taxes, and cross-border shipping fees—are calculated at checkout and paid entirely by the customer. This "Delivered Duty Paid" (DDP) model ensures that sellers do not face unexpected landing costs that eat into margins.
However, this ease of access comes with operational caveats. Not every product is eligible for the program; hazardous materials, perishables, and heavy-bulk items remain restricted. Furthermore, sellers must now consider the qualitative aspects of international trade. A product that performs well in Ohio may face high return rates in Mexico if the instruction manual lacks a Spanish translation or if the total landed price (including duties) makes it uncompetitive against local goods.
With the program already activating, sellers need to audit their accounts immediately. The first step is to verify whether your distribution agreements allow for international sales; if you hold US-only rights, you must opt out to avoid legal exposure. Next, review your product packaging to ensure it can withstand the longer transit times associated with cross-border logistics. Finally, keep a close watch on international return rates during the first quarter of 2026, as these can serve as an early warning system for pricing or localization issues.
Expanding Your Supply Chain?
With Walmart Exports opening new doors, your inventory turnover is about to speed up. Linktrans specializes in keeping your WFS stock replenished with rapid ocean and air freight solutions from Asia. Contact us to ensure you never stock out during this expansion.
04 Feb, 2026
