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Amazon vs Walmart Marketplace for third-party sellers

Question: Amazon vs Walmart Marketplace for third-party sellers?

Short answer

Amazon is open to most sellers who register and choose a selling plan, then pay referral fees per sale. Walmart Marketplace is application-based: its getting-started page lists minimum qualifications, including a business tax ID and a history of marketplace or eCommerce success, and says there are no setup or monthly fees, only referral fees on items sold.

If you're brand new to online selling, Amazon is usually the realistic place to start. Walmart is often a second channel once you have a track record.

Getting in

When we reviewed both on October 28, 2026: Amazon offered an Individual plan ($0.99 per item sold) and a Professional plan ($39.99 per month), and said you can switch or cancel after registration. Walmart Marketplace listed minimum qualifications: a business tax ID (SSN not accepted) or business license number, documents verifying your business name and address, a history of marketplace or eCommerce success, GTIN/UPC GS1 company prefix numbers, a payment account, a catalog that follows its Prohibited Products Policy, and US fulfillment with returns capability.

Fees

Fees change and vary by category, so use each platform's current pages and calculators.

  • Plan or subscription

    Amazon
    Individual per-item fee or Professional monthly fee
    Walmart Marketplace
    No setup or monthly fees

  • Per-sale fee

    Amazon
    Referral fee by category: a percentage or a minimum, whichever is greater
    Walmart Marketplace
    Referral fee by category, deducted after a sale

  • Fulfillment program

    Amazon
    Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), with its own fees
    Walmart Marketplace
    Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), with its own fees

  • Advertising

    Amazon
    Optional, through Amazon Ads
    Walmart Marketplace
    Optional, through sponsored search ads

Fulfillment

Both let you ship orders yourself or store stock in their warehouses (FBA and WFS). Using their fulfillment can make your offers eligible for faster delivery badges, but adds storage and fulfillment fees and means sending inventory in advance.

Which suits you

  • Amazon: newer sellers, a wide range of categories, sellers comfortable with strong competition.
  • Walmart Marketplace: established businesses with UPCs, US fulfillment and a proven sales history.
  • Both: sellers who can manage inventory and performance standards across two channels.

Common pitfalls

  • Applying to Walmart without GS1 product codes or a sales history.
  • Forgetting fulfillment and storage fees when comparing referral fees.
  • Splitting stock across two channels without a way to keep inventory in sync.
  • Choosing a plan before estimating monthly unit volume.

Compare them with your own numbers

  • Find your category's referral fee on each platform.
  • Estimate monthly units to choose an Amazon plan.
  • Check Walmart's qualifications against your business documents.
  • Price self-fulfillment against FBA or WFS.
  • Decide which channel to launch first.

Official sources

Fee and policy details on this page were checked against these official pages on October 28, 2026. They change, so confirm current terms before you rely on them.

Shopmation is an emerging AI seller-workflow product. The platforms named here are independent companies; mentioning them doesn't mean they are Shopmation integrations or partners. This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

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