This month, Walmart is raising the bar for its marketplace sellers. To stand out, you'll now need to achieve the new "Pro Seller" status. This guide breaks down the two key areas you need to master—competitive pricing and fast shipping—to earn lower fees and better visibility on the platform.
The New Price Competitiveness Score: The "Pro Seller" Tier
Previously a more straightforward metric, the Price Competitiveness Score now operates on a tiered system. The most important tier for ambitious sellers is the new "Pro Seller" designation.
To qualify as a Pro Seller, you must maintain a Price Competitiveness Score of 75% or higher. This score measures how your prices compare to those of competing retailers for the same items. A score of 75% means that for at least three-quarters of your popular items, your price is competitive enough to be the top choice for customers in the Walmart Buy Box. Falling below this threshold will prevent you from accessing key benefits and could impact your overall visibility.
Unlocking Pro Listing Discounts: The Dual Requirement
One of the most valuable perks for sellers is the Pro Listing discount, which reduces the commission (referral fee) you pay to Walmart on a sale. Under the new rules, qualifying for these discounts is now significantly harder and requires meeting two criteria simultaneously:
- Competitive Pricing: You must first achieve the Pro Seller score of 75% or higher. If your pricing isn't competitive, you are not eligible for any listing discounts, regardless of your shipping speed.
- Fast & Free Shipping: You must offer Free Two-Day delivery or faster shipping for the item. Slower shipping options, even if free, will not qualify for the discount.
Actionable Steps for Sellers
- Audit Your Pricing Strategy: Don't "set it and forget it." Use repricing tools or regularly monitor your Price Competitiveness dashboard in the Seller Center. Identify items with low scores and analyze competitors' pricing to see where you can adjust.
- Optimize Your Fulfillment: Achieving two-day delivery nationwide can be challenging. Consider leveraging Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), which automatically qualifies your listings for the fast shipping tags. If you fulfill orders yourself, explore partnerships with third-party logistics (3PL) providers that have multiple warehouse locations to reduce shipping times.
- Focus on Your Best-Sellers: Your Price Competitiveness Score is heavily weighted by your most popular items. Prioritize getting the pricing and shipping right for these high-velocity products first, as they will have the biggest impact on your overall score and your eligibility for discounts.
These changes are a clear move by Walmart to directly compete with Amazon's Prime experience. By rewarding sellers who offer both sharp prices and Prime-like shipping speeds, Walmart is actively curating a more reliable and high-quality marketplace for its customers.
Need to optimize your logistics channels? Linktrans tailors professional logistics services to your specific requirements.
30 Sep, 2025
