How to Get, Keep, and Grow Your Business with Walmart in 2025: A Guide for Brands and Sellers

Whether you’re an emerging brand trying to get your first item on Walmart shelves or a seasoned seller looking to grow across digital and physical channels, 2025 presents more opportunity—and more competition—than ever before. But success with Walmart doesn’t happen by accident.

Here’s a breakdown of how successful brands and sellers are getting started, gaining traction, and scaling smartly with Walmart in 2025.

Getting In: Pathways to Becoming a Walmart Supplier

Walmart is actively looking for new brands—but they expect readiness. Here are some of the most common (and successful) ways sellers are breaking in:

1. Apply Through Walmart’s Supplier Portal

If you’re a potential first-party (1P) supplier, start by applying through Walmart’s supplier registration site. This is the traditional route for brands that want Walmart to buy and resell their products.

Tip: Focus on what makes your brand unique, scalable, and retail-ready—especially with regard to U.S.-made, sustainable, or cost-competitive products.

2. Pitch via Walmart’s Annual Open Call

Each year, Walmart hosts an Open Call event—giving U.S. manufacturers a chance to pitch their products to Walmart buyers. Hundreds of brands walk away with deals or test-market opportunities.

2025’s Open Call continues Walmart’s $350 billion commitment to U.S. manufacturing and has been a launchpad for countless brands.

More info & application → Walmart Open Call

3. Join Walmart Marketplace (3P)

The Marketplace allows approved third-party sellers to list products on Walmart.com and reach millions of online shoppers without going through a traditional buying team.

Recent case studies show:

• 50% GMV growth in 6 months (Farallon)
• Cross-border brand launches (Southern Wolf eBikes)
• ROI-positive advertising with Search Engine Marketing tools (SACVON)

Apply at: marketplace.walmart.com

Staying On: Keys to Keeping Your Business with Walmart

Once you’re in, the work has just begun. Here’s what successful suppliers focus on to stay in Walmart’s good graces:

1. Data Accuracy & Operational Excellence

Walmart expects:

• Accurate item specs (via Item Spec 5.0)
• On-time and in-full deliveries
• Error-free product content

Walmart’s systems flag underperformance fast—be proactive and precise.

2. Leverage Scintilla and Walmart Data Ventures

Walmart has moved beyond Retail Link and Luminate to Scintilla, its next-generation insights platform. Together with Walmart Data Ventures, this ecosystem helps suppliers:

• Understand demand signals in near real-time
• Optimize inventory and on-shelf availability
• Align merchandising with behavioral trends
• Access omni-scale data across stores and eCommerce

Scintilla provides predictive AI, while Walmart Data Ventures packages insights into products like:

• Sales Performance Insights (SPI)
• Shopper Behavior Insights (SBI)

Learn more: walmartdataventures.com

3. Partner with the Right Support Teams

Top-performing brands surround themselves with partners who understand Walmart’s systems and expectations. Look for support teams that:

• Know how to work with Scintilla and SPI/SBI dashboards
• Are experts in WFS, replenishment, modular strategy, and OTIF
• Help align your operations with Walmart’s strategic priorities

4. Start Local, Think National

Walmart often tests new products at the local or regional level before going chainwide. Succeed small, prove your value, then scale.

Growing Big: Strategies to Scale In-Store and Online

Once you’ve earned shelf space or started seeing traction online, here’s how high-growth brands are going to the next level:

1. Use Walmart Connect to Grow with Precision

Walmart Connect offers full-funnel retail media that helps brands:

• Reach 150 million+ weekly Walmart customers
• Tie digital media to real-world sales through closed-loop measurement
• Optimize ROI with first-party targeting data

Best practices:

• Invest in Sponsored Search to boost product discoverability
• Use in-store displays and self-checkout screens to build awareness
• Align timing and targeting with Scintilla performance data

Learn more: walmartconnect.com

2. Attend Growth Summits & Strategy Sessions

Walmart’s Growth Summits are expanding in 2025. These interactive events help suppliers:

• Connect directly with category teams
• Learn about category priorities
• Pitch innovations and secure new distribution

Walmart is also hosting international summits in regions like Africa and Latin America to support global sourcing and supplier development.

3. Get Shelf-Ready—and “Store of the Future” Ready

Walmart’s Store of the Future redesigns focus on:

• Digitally enhanced merchandising (QR codes, digital signage)
• Mobile-first shopper tools
• Streamlined, visually engaging displays

Suppliers should update packaging, shelf strategy, and digital content to match this environment.

What Walmart Wants in 2025

Walmart’s strategic priorities in 2025 include:

• Affordable options for value-driven shoppers
• U.S.-made and sustainably sourced products
• Efficient supply chains and reliable fulfillment
• Personalized, data-informed retail media campaigns
• Digitally enhanced in-store execution

If your brand helps deliver on any of those goals, you’re on the right track.

Final Thoughts: It’s About Partnership, Not Just Placement

In 2025, Walmart isn’t just looking for vendors—they’re looking for problem-solvers and partners who understand what it takes to win both on the shelf and online.

Whether you’re pitching at Open Call, optimizing your Marketplace presence, or using Scintilla and Connect to drive growth, your success depends on how well you understand Walmart’s goals—and how well you can align with them.

Ready to explore your fit with Walmart?
You don’t have to go it alone. We’ve created tools, resources, and expert interviews to help you get started and scale with confidence.

Start here: WinningWithWalmart.com

Disclaimer:
Winning With Walmart is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Walmart Inc. or its affiliates. All references to Walmart, its programs, trademarks, and brands are provided for informational purposes only and do not imply any official partnership, sponsorship, or commercial relationship.

Winning With Walmart

Winning With Walmart is an independent platform for suppliers, sellers, solution providers, and industry experts.

Articles are developed by staff editors, contributing experts, and trusted partners.

Some are researched and drafted with the assistance of AI tools and are reviewed, fact-checked, and edited by Winning With Walmart editors before publication.

Editorial judgment, sourcing decisions, and final approval rest with the publication's human editors in every case.

We are committed to accuracy and fairness. If you believe this article contains an error, we welcome your feedback.