Key Differences of Walmart & Amazon Marketplaces

Amazon might be the ecommerce giant, but Walmart is quickly gaining ground. Both platforms offer major opportunities for sellers, but they operate very differently. To succeed on either, you need to understand how they compare and where your strategy needs to shift. This guide breaks down the key differences and how to adapt your approach depending on where you sell.

1. Marketplace Structure

Amazon: Open to almost anyone with a self-service model. Sellers can launch quickly and scale fast using FBA.
Walmart: More selective. Sellers must apply and be approved before listing. Fulfillment is available through WFS, but adoption is still growing.

What it means for sellers: Amazon offers faster onboarding. Walmart rewards established businesses that can meet stricter standards.

2. Pricing and Competition

Amazon: Pricing is aggressive. Sellers compete heavily for the Buy Box, often using automated repricers to stay ahead. Amazon also monitors pricing across the web and may suppress listings that are priced higher than on other sites. Price wars are common, especially in crowded categories.
Walmart: Still competitive, but with less saturation in many categories. Instead of repricing battles, Walmart relies more on strict enforcement of its “everyday low price” policy. If your product is listed for less on another site, Walmart may automatically unpublish it.

Strategy tip: Both platforms now demand cross-channel pricing consistency. On Amazon, you risk Buy Box loss or suppression if your price is undercut elsewhere. On Walmart, the same listing might disappear without warning. Monitor pricing across all sales channels and use tools to stay in compliance without killing your margins.

3. Product Listings and Content

Amazon: Sellers have more flexibility in creating rich product detail pages, especially through A+ Content and Brand Registry.
Walmart: Content is more controlled. Titles, images, and descriptions follow strict templates and approval processes.

Key takeaway: Use strong, optimized content on both platforms. Just be prepared for more constraints on Walmart listings.

4. Advertising Options

Both platforms offer ad tools, but they work differently.
Amazon Advertising: More advanced, with Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and other campaign types. It is a core part of Amazon’s revenue engine.
Walmart Advertising: Growing rapidly. Sponsored Products, display ads, and brand placements are now available through Walmart Connect.

Walmart advertising strategy tip: Focus on Sponsored Products and performance-based placements first. Walmart’s ad system is newer, so testing and tracking are key to early results.

5. Brand Tools and Protection

Amazon: Brand Registry offers strong tools for brand protection, content control, and counterfeit reporting.
Walmart: Walmart now offers brand support through its Brand Portal and Walmart Brand Registry. While not as advanced as Amazon’s tools, they provide control over listings and intellectual property claims.

What to do: If you own your brand, register on both platforms. Search for “brand portal Walmart” and begin the verification process early.

6. Fulfillment Services

Amazon FBA: Fulfillment by Amazon is fast, reliable, and tightly integrated with Prime. Amazon handles storage, packing, shipping, returns, and customer service. Products fulfilled through FBA are eligible for Prime and tend to convert better because of faster delivery and stronger placement in search results.
Walmart WFS: Walmart Fulfillment Services is newer but growing fast. Like FBA, WFS handles end-to-end logistics, including returns and customer support. WFS products are eligible for Walmart’s two-day shipping badge, which improves visibility and conversion. However, WFS has more limitations on inbound shipping, prep requirements, and storage availability.

Strategy tip: Use FBA if you need scale, speed, and maximum control over your Amazon performance. Use WFS strategically to boost visibility on Walmart, but plan ahead. Inventory limits, carrier restrictions, and onboarding timelines can slow down your rollout. Sellers who use both FBA and WFS effectively can maintain price and delivery consistency across platforms, which helps avoid suppression and improves Buy Box performance.

7. Reviews and Customer Feedback

Amazon: Reviews are essential for ranking and conversions. Sellers rely heavily on social proof.
Walmart: Reviews still matter but carry less weight in search ranking. Walmart uses other signals, like price and fulfillment speed.

Actionable tip: On both platforms, focus on excellent service and fast shipping to improve reviews organically.

Final Thoughts

Selling on Walmart vs Amazon is not about choosing one over the other. Each platform serves a different purpose, and smart sellers use both to increase their reach. Amazon offers speed, scale, and advanced tools. Walmart provides access to a growing audience with less competition. Leveraging both allows you to expand your shelf space, diversify risk, and take advantage of each platform’s unique strengths.