Choosing the right PathFinders tier can feel like a big decision — especially when you’re balancing Walmart expectations, internal priorities, and limited team capacity. PathFinders was designed to meet suppliers wherever they are, whether you need focused support on one challenge or a deeper, ongoing partnership across multiple parts of your business.
But how do you know which level is right for you?
At 8th & Walton, the core difference between Bronze, Silver, and Gold isn’t what we can help you with — it’s the number of sessions you receive each month, the number of topics we can simultaneously support, and the level of proactivity we can take.
A Simple Framework: Sessions + Topics + Proactivity
As you move from Bronze → Silver → Gold, three things scale:
1. The Number of Sessions Each Month
Every session is dedicated time with your expert to dig into your business, solve problems, and make progress.
More sessions = more opportunities to drive improvement.
2. The Number of Topics We Can Support at the Same Time
Bronze: Focus on one or two key priorities
Silver: Support across several topics
Gold: Deep partnership across many workstreams
3. The Level of Proactivity
- Bronze: You bring us the priority topic, and we help you solve it.
- Silver: You bring us priorities, and we also identify and help address issues you may not have seen yet.
- Gold: We monitor your business every week, proactively identify risks and opportunities, and support multiple topics with ongoing strategic partnership.
This framework helps suppliers choose the tier that matches their workload, complexity, and goals.
Bronze: When You Want Focused, Problem-Solving Support
Best for:
Suppliers who need expert support on one or two important issues each month.
What this tier feels like:
You come to your expert with a specific need — a replenishment question, a forecasting issue, an eCommerce challenge — and your sessions are centered on solving it. This tier is focused, clear, and action-oriented.
Example:
A frozen food supplier struggling with in-stock issues used their PathFinders Bronze sessions to uncover a hidden root cause: multiple small purchase orders were generating daily, inefficient shipments and delayed deliveries.
With guidance from their expert, they consolidated to a single weekly order review day, improving in-stocks, reducing waste, and stabilizing their supply rhythm.
Bronze = “Help me solve this priority issue and move forward.”
Silver: When You Need Support Across Several Topics
Best for:
Suppliers managing multiple Walmart priorities at once — eCommerce, supply chain, reporting, advertising, or planning.
What this tier feels like:
You get enough sessions to meaningfully address several workstreams. Silver clients often begin with one known priority and, through conversation with their expert, discover additional opportunities or issues they weren’t aware of.
How Silver differs from Bronze:
- More sessions
- More topics supported
- More proactive monitoring (“We found this thing you may not have seen…”)
- Ability to work with more than one expert (e.g., supply chain + eCommerce)
Example:
A tea supplier used their Silver sessions to advance multiple initiatives, including eCommerce advertising, supply chain improvements, upcoming JBP planning, and refining their item-level insights. With more sessions available each month, their team could make progress in several areas simultaneously.
Silver = “Help us move forward on several priorities — and flag what we may not be seeing.”
Not sure if Bronze or Silver is right for your team?
Let’s talk through your goals and match you with the right level of support.
Fill out the short form below to start the conversation.
Gold: When You Want a Deep, Ongoing Partnership
Best for:
Suppliers with complex Walmart businesses who want a highly engaged expert embedded in their rhythm each week.
What this tier feels like:
Gold clients have enough sessions to cover multiple workstreams in depth — forecasting, in-stock, modular planning, eCommerce marketing, advertising strategy, content optimization, seasonal planning, and cross-functional communication.
Often, Gold sessions resemble having a Walmart expert integrated into the team.
Gold differs from Silver in three ways:
- Additional sessions = deeper progress every month
- More topics supported at once
- Higher level of proactive insight and monitoring
Gold = “Let’s build and refine the business together week after week.”
Which PathFinders Tier Should You Choose?
Bronze is right for you if…
- You have one or two high-priority challenges
- You want focused sessions centered on problem-solving
- You don’t need support across multiple workstreams
Silver is right for you if…
- You have several Walmart priorities happening at once
- You want an expert who can help across multiple areas in the same month
- You value proactive insights alongside problem-solving
Gold is right for you if…
- You want an expert team integrated into your business rhythm
- You manage complex or multi-category Walmart work
- You want weekly strategic and tactical support across many topics
Final Thoughts
Every supplier deserves access to Walmart expertise — and every PathFinders tier provides it. What changes is the number of sessions, the breadth of topics, and the degree of proactive support.
If you’re unsure where to start, we’re happy to help you choose the tier that aligns with your goals and the level of partnership that makes sense for your business.
Ready to choose your PathFinders tier?
Whether you’re solving one issue or managing a complex operation, our team can help.
Complete the form below to get started.
