Dive Brief:
- Walmart is preparing to launch a new cross-border shipping program called Walmart Exports in early 2026 for sellers using its third-party fulfillment offering, according to an email to sellers shared by shipping software provider GeekSeller.
- The service will enable eligible Walmart Fulfillment Services items to be delivered from the U.S. to shoppers in Mexico and Canada, with additional countries added over time, per the email. Eligible products will automatically be enrolled in the new program, with Walmart handling the picking, packaging and shipping for sellers as it does for other Walmart Fulfillment Services shipments.
- "Walmart is currently testing new marketplace capabilities that leverage our fulfillment and logistics network to help sellers on our US marketplace reach customers shopping across borders," a company spokesperson said in an email to Supply Chain Dive. "These capabilities should expand seamless access to our broad assortment for these customers, with appropriate import solutions integrated into their experience."
Dive Insight:
Walmart Exports aims to grow the customer base for third-party sellers using Walmart Fulfillment Services, which currently only ships orders to U.S. addresses, per the company's website. The retailer aspires "to have the best capabilities in the world" for customer fulfillment, EVP and CFO John David Rainey said at a Morgan Stanley conference in December.
"It's almost as if, again, you're a seller at Walmart, if you're not using [Walmart Fulfillment Services], you're using this in the wrong way," Rainey said.
Third-party sellers are an important component of Walmart's e-commerce strategy, as they enable the retailer to provide a broader assortment of products to customers, particularly in categories like automotive, toys, electronics and apparel, Rainey said on a November earnings call.
The new program adds another wrinkle to the retailer's ongoing rivalry with Amazon — the e-commerce giant's FBA Export program handles international order fulfillment and shipping to customers in other countries.
Walmart has been steadily building its international logistics services for sellers in recent years, including Walmart Cross Border. The importing service enables sellers to book ocean freight shipping from ports in China and Vietnam to the U.S.
