Happy New Walmart Fiscal Year!

Best Practices for Walmart Suppliers

Welcome to the new year! We wish you success and prosperity in 2025!

With the new year, you as a Walmart supplier will see exciting new opportunities. When considering Best Practices, it’s critical that you understand the importance of aligning with Walmart’s goals and expectations. For greater success in the coming year, think over each of the recommendations below and implement as many as you can.

Review Walmart’s Year-End Reports and Performance Metrics

This is a key element to Best Practices.

  • Analyze OTIF (On Time In Full) sales trends and compliance scores from the past year.
  • Identify areas of success to replicate.
  • Find opportunities for improvement.
  • Use data insights to set measurable goals for the new year

Stay Updated on Walmart Policies and Initiatives

Align your processes with Walmart’s goals so you become a better Walmart supplier.

  • Brush up on Retail Link©.  Walmart’s web-based platform continues to serve as a critical tool for suppliers to access data, manage inventory, and collaborate with Walmart on sales performance and operational efficiency. Although Luminate™ is now handling what was once DSS, Retail Link™ still has a lot to offer. It is not going away.
  • Understand Walmart’s key focus areas for the year, such as online presence to support Walmart’s push for more and better online market share.
  • Aim to incorporate Walmart’s quest for younger, wealthier shoppers into your business.

Prioritize Communication and Collaboration

Both are critical elements in your relationship with Walmart. They cannot be overemphasized.

  • Schedule meetings with your Walmart buyer so that you align on expectations and strategies.
  • Share updated business plans, inventory forecasts, and promotional calendars.
  • Maintain transparency. Walmart wants to know what is happening with you and your products. If something is going awry, tell them. Don’t let them find out on their own. If you give them notice, they have the chance to deal with a difficulty in a timely and more efficient manner.

Optimize Inventory and Supply Chain Management

A huge topic. Here are two tips that should improve your year ahead.

  • Always plan for post-holiday replenishment based on recent sales and forecast data and plan production to match post-holiday forecasts.
  • Leverage Walmart’s tools like Retail Link© and Luminate™ to give you better visibility into demand patterns.

Leverage Technology to Enhance Efficiency

Tomorrow is here. Don’t delay. Meet it head on.

  • Invest in tools that streamline processes like EDI or inventory tracking.
  • Use data analytics to forecast demand and optimize replenishment cycles.
  • Stay ahead of the curve. Master Walmart’s Supplier One platform so you can use it with confidence. (You can learn Supplier One, Luminate™, and other key topics crucial to your success. 8th & Walton classes give you the knowledge you need and the confidence seek.)

Focus on Walmart.com

Don’t be satisfied because your items are already listed. There is more to do!

  • Make certain your listings are accurate and robust.
  • Consider using Walmart Connect to sponsor and advertise/promote your products.
  • Create an online strategy and share it with your buyer.

Plan and Execute Promotional Strategies

Get a head start by working on this at the start of the new year. Be ahead of the pack!

  • Collaborate with Walmart to plan promotions and rollbacks for the year.
  • Develop innovative marketing campaigns to boost visibility and sales, including potentially using social media.
  • Ensure that promotional plans align with Walmart’s customer engagement goals.

Conclusion

As you implement these Best Practices, recognize that adopting them builds a stronger partnership with Walmart.

Other things to think about:

  • Keep updated on Luminate™/ Scintilla™ news at 8th & Walton’s Luminate™ Hub.
  • Review other Walmart options like product catalog / product introduction.
  • To prepare for the possibility of supply chain interruptions, develop an e-commerce strategy for the year.
  • Look ahead to seasonality you might experience — particularly grocery and items of high consumption in summer and especially items made overseas / imported in fall.

Ready to strengthen your Walmart partnership? Fill out the form below, and our team will be in touch to discuss your needs and help you implement these best practices effectively.