Top Mistakes New Walmart Sellers Make and How to Avoid Them

Selling on Walmart’s marketplace can be a huge opportunity, but many new sellers run into avoidable mistakes that slow down their growth. From listing errors to pricing missteps, these issues can hurt sales and visibility. In this post, we’ll cover the most common mistakes new Walmart sellers make, and share practical tips to help you avoid them.

Mistakes New Walmart Sellers Make

Not Setting Up Your Store Properly

Setting up your Walmart store correctly is one of the most important first steps to success. Many new sellers rush through the process or skip key details in their profiles. This can result in missing information or a store that doesn’t look trustworthy to buyers.

If sellers don’t take the time to complete sections such as business information, payment details, shipping options, and return policies, customers may feel confused or uncertain about purchasing. An unfinished store, with no logo, unclear shipping times, or incomplete information—often pushes buyers toward competitors with more professional profiles.

How to avoid this mistake: Carefully review every part of your Walmart Seller Center account before going live. Double-check your contact details, upload high-quality store images, and clearly explain your shipping and return policies. A complete and professional profile builds trust and encourages more sales right from the start.

Putting Products in the Wrong Category and Subcategory

Choosing the right category and subcategory is crucial for visibility on Walmart. Assigning the correct product category ensures your items appear in relevant searches and improves your search visibility. If your items are placed incorrectly, shoppers may never see them while searching.

Even well-priced products can become “invisible” if they are listed in the wrong section.Some new sellers guess where their products belong without checking Walmart’s guidelines. This not only makes your products harder to find but can also confuse customers if the category doesn’t match the product type. Proper product categorization reduces errors and enhances the customer shopping experience.

How to avoid this mistake: Always consult Walmart’s category guides and look at where similar items are listed. Accurate categorization helps customers find your products quickly, builds trust, and improves your chances of making sales. Following correct categorization guidelines is essential for accurate indexing and better search visibility.

Poorly Optimized Product Listings

Poorly optimized listings are one of the biggest reasons products fail to sell on Walmart. Bad optimization can prevent your items from appearing in search results or even lead to Walmart rejecting your listings. Here are the most common errors to avoid:

• Missing SKU: Each product needs a unique SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) for inventory tracking. Without it, restocking and returns become difficult, and Walmart may reject the listing.

• Invalid Product Identifier: Walmart requires a valid UPC, EAN, or ISBN. Incorrect or made-up identifiers can get your listing blocked.

• Low-Quality or Incorrect Images: Blurry, irrelevant, or mismatched images make your products look unprofessional. Use high-resolution photos on a white background, showing multiple angles.

• Incorrect or Missing Product Features: Leaving out details like size, material, or color creates confusion and increases returns.

• Missing Key Attributes: Failing to include all key attributes—such as color, size, material, or other key attribute—can prevent your product from appearing in relevant searches and reduce discoverability.

• Product ID and Product Mismatch: If the UPC doesn’t match the product being sold, Walmart may remove your listing, and customers will lose trust.

• Missing or Incorrect Information: Listings with incorrect information, such as mismatched product IDs, features, or descriptions, can lead to product misidentification, customer confusion, and lost sales.

• Not Listing Different Variants: Not mentioning all different variants (such as sizes, colors, or styles) in your product listing can limit visibility and prevent customers from finding the exact option they want.

• Poor Bullet Point Formatting: Not using bullet point formatting or failing to use short phrases in bullet points makes it harder for customers to quickly see key features and benefits.

• Repetitive Content: Avoid repeating the same information in product descriptions and bullet points. Use varied language and synonyms to improve clarity and SEO.

• Missing Brand Information: Not accurately listing brands can reduce customer trust and hurt your product’s search visibility.

Not Implementing a Competitive Pricing Strategy

Pricing directly impacts your ability to win Walmart’s “Buy Box” and attract customers. Setting prices too high will push shoppers to cheaper competitors, while setting them too low can cut into profits and make products seem low-quality.

How to avoid this mistake: Regularly monitor competitor prices and adjust your strategy to stay competitive while protecting your margins. A balanced pricing approach improves sales and helps your business grow sustainably.

Not Managing Inventory Properly

Poor inventory management creates major problems for Walmart sellers. Running out of stock leads to missed sales and unhappy customers, while overstocking ties up money and raises storage costs.

How to avoid this mistake: Track your inventory closely, keep stock levels updated in Walmart Seller Center, and reorder products before they run out. Effective inventory control keeps your store reliable and customers satisfied.

Poor Customer Service

Customer service directly impacts your Walmart seller ratings and reputation. Ignoring customer messages, delaying responses, or mishandling returns can result in negative reviews and fewer repeat buyers.

How to avoid this mistake: Respond to inquiries quickly and politely. Handle refunds and returns in a professional, customer-friendly way. Happy customers leave positive reviews and are more likely to recommend your store. Good service increases customer satisfaction, which in turn improves your seller performance.

Slow Shipping and Fulfillment

Walmart requires most sellers to ship within two business days and provide valid tracking. Failing to meet these standards can lead to canceled orders, negative reviews, or even account suspension.

How to avoid this mistake: Set realistic shipping times, partner with reliable carriers, and always upload tracking information promptly. Fast, dependable shipping builds trust and encourages repeat purchases.

Skipping Product Research

Listing products without proper research often leads to poor sales. Many new sellers choose oversaturated items or products with low demand, wasting time and money.

How to avoid this mistake: Research customer demand, analyze competitors, and identify gaps in the market before adding new products. Focus on items with steady demand and lower competition to increase your chances of success.

Not Using High-Quality Photos

Product images heavily influence buying decisions. Blurry, dark, or misleading photos discourage customers and lower sales. Walmart specifically requires a white background for main images.

How to avoid this mistake: Use clear, high-resolution images that accurately represent the product. Show multiple angles and highlight key features. Good photos make your listings stand out and improve conversion rates.

SOP for Uploading Photos to Walmart Product Listings

Use a White Background
All main product photos must have a pure white background. This helps your product stand out and complies with Walmart’s image requirements.

• Ensure High Resolution
  Upload clear, high-resolution images. Sharp photos allow buyers to see details and make your products appear more trustworthy.

• Show Multiple Angles
  Include photos from different sides and angles. A complete view reduces uncertainty and increases buyer confidence.

• Avoid Extra Items in Images
  Show only the product being sold. Do not include props or unrelated items, as they can confuse customers.

• Use Good Lighting
  Take photos with bright, even lighting and minimal shadows. Proper lighting shows the product’s true color and quality.

• Focus on Product Details
  Add close-up shots of key features, labels, or textures. Highlighting these details helps customers understand exactly what they’re purchasing.

• Keep Images Consistent
  Ensure all photos in the listing are consistent in style, size, and background. Consistency makes your listings look professional and polished.

• Do Not Use Logos or Watermarks
  Do not add brand logos, watermarks, or text overlays to your product photos. Walmart generally prohibits these elements.

• Follow Image Size Guidelines
  Check Walmart’s required image dimensions and resolution before uploading. Larger, high-quality images display better across all devices.

• Double-Check Image Accuracy
  Confirm that every photo accurately represents the product being sold. Correct images build trust and help reduce returns or complaints.

Forgetting to Optimize for Search

Forgetting to optimize for search is a major mistake new Walmart sellers make, and it can severely limit product visibility and sales. If your listings are not easy to find in search results, fewer shoppers will see your items—even if your products are excellent. Many sellers overlook simple steps that help their listings appear when customers search for what they need.

A common issue is failing to use relevant keywords in product titles, descriptions, and features. To maximize visibility, it is also essential to ensure your listings comply with Walmart's guidelines for content and product listings, as following these standards helps avoid listing issues and improves search performance. If your listing does not include the words buyers actually search for, Walmart’s search engine may not display your products at all. This reduces your chances of being discovered by ready-to-buy shoppers, no matter how competitive your prices are.

To improve your success, always optimize your listings for Walmart’s search algorithm. This means understanding the terms, phrases, and product features that customers are searching for. Better search optimization helps your products rank higher in results, attract more shoppers, and increase sales.

Tips to Optimize for Search:

• Use clear, relevant keywords in product titles and descriptions.

• Add popular search terms that shoppers are likely to use.

• Include important features and benefits in bullet points.

• Select accurate product categories and attributes.

• Avoid keyword stuffing; keep the language natural and easy to read.

• Update listings regularly with fresh keywords and current trends.

• Study how top sellers use keywords and learn from their listings.

• Keep your main image, price, and shipping information up to date, as these factors also influence search results.

• Monitor performance metrics such as order defect rate and customer satisfaction to identify areas for improvement and maintain strong search ranking.

• Regularly optimize product listings based on search data and marketplace trends to enhance visibility and sales.

Conclusion

Selling on Walmart’s marketplace is a big opportunity, but small mistakes can hold your business back. By setting up your store correctly, optimizing listings, managing inventory, and delivering great customer service, you can avoid the common pitfalls new sellers face. Focus on building trust, staying competitive, and continually improving your processes. The more professional and reliable your store looks, the more shoppers will choose you—and the faster your Walmart business will grow.