Walmart has quietly updated its Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) eligibility criteria, removing the previous requirement that sellers achieve $5,000 in lifetime GMV before qualifying. The change, confirmed in Walmart Seller Centre documentation updated May 3, 2026, means that newly approved marketplace sellers can enrol in WFS from day one.
What WFS Offers
WFS operates similarly to Amazon FBA — sellers ship inventory to Walmart fulfilment centres, and Walmart handles picking, packing, shipping, and customer returns. Key benefits:
- 2-day shipping badge displayed on WFS-fulfilled listings, a proven conversion driver on Walmart.com
- Returns handled by Walmart at no additional cost per return
- Priority placement in Walmart's search algorithm for WFS items in relevant categories
- Seasonal storage at Walmart DCs without requiring a third-party 3PL for peak preparation
The Change and Why It Matters
Previously, new sellers had to build GMV through self-fulfilled orders before WFS unlocked, creating a catch-22: Walmart's search algorithm favours 2-day shipping items, making it hard to build GMV without WFS, but WFS required GMV first.
Removing this threshold means sellers can now:
- Enrol in WFS during account approval
- Ship initial inventory to Walmart DCs
- Launch listings with the 2-day badge immediately
- Compete on a more equal footing with established sellers from day one
Who Benefits Most
- Brands launching on Walmart for the first time — previously disadvantaged by the chicken-and-egg GMV requirement
- Amazon sellers expanding to Walmart — can replicate their FBA operating model without a separate 3PL arrangement
- Private-label sellers in high-velocity categories (health, beauty, grocery) where the 2-day badge significantly affects conversion
Getting Started
To enrol, go to Seller Centre → Fulfilment → Walmart Fulfilment Services → Enrol. You will need UPC barcodes on all items and compliant carton labelling per Walmart's WFS Supplier Pack and Label Guide.
Storage and fulfilment fee rates remain unchanged; Walmart charges based on item dimensions and weight, with peak season surcharges October–January.