I Never Knew Walmart’s Retail Link® Did That!

Walmart Supplier Academy and 8th & Walton teach Retail LinkHave you ever been frustrated working in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, or some other application? Then, a co-worker hovers over your shoulder and shows you a quick step that makes it easy and saves you loads of time? That’s how our team helps suppliers every week with Walmart’s Retail Link® data system.

Retail Link® is a Walmart-owned system (sometimes taught through Walmart Supplier Academy) that allows suppliers to manage their own products. Walmart Supplier Academy shows suppliers how to:

  • Monitor item data
  • Review sales and inventory volume
  • Calculate in-stock percentage
  • Analyze gross margin and inventory turnover
  • And much, much more!

That “much, much more” is the kicker! Here at 8th & Walton, we see the sighs of relief and looks of amazement each week in our customized Retail Link® classes. It’s easy for a supplier or analyst to get in a routine of steps, but never explore other aspects of the system to make their job (and results!) more efficient. For a free sample of things you may not know about Retail Link®, click here to download our Top 8 Retail Link® Fun Features.

Why Take a Retail Link® Class from 8th & Walton?

If you have access to Retail Link® and the system provides some help, why do you need to take a class? “You don’t,” says Jeff Clapper, President and CEO of 8th & Walton (surprisingly!). Clapper was posed this question on a recent episode of Focus on Suppliers. After giving the short answer, he went on to explain why small and medium-sized suppliers should invest training dollars in the classes.

“There are plenty of ways you can learn the information on your own,” he says. “The reason so many suppliers come to us for the Retail Link® training is to save time and costly mistakes.”

Clapper goes on to illustrate the importance of new suppliers seeking training at the walmart retail linkbeginning of their Walmart journey. “If a company is new to working with Walmart, they only have a month or two before their buyer is starting to review the modular that’s a few months down the road. In that time, they need to hit the ground running.

“They need to show great success ahead of that review. Suppliers come to us to shorten that learning curve rather than have to learn everything Walmart expects on their own in a small amount of time.”

What Kind of Retail Link® Class Do I Need?

Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro, there’s always something new to explore in Retail Link®. Classes at 8th & Walton are updated regularly to align with system updates and enhancements. If you’re not sure which is right for you, here’s what you can expect from each session:

Retail Link® 1 – The Basics

In this first class, you get the basics of Retail Link® from navigating the home page to customizing your own dashboard. You also master valuable apps like Decision Support, PO Tracking, Online Item File, and the On Time In Full (OTIF) Scorecard to name a few.

Retail Link® 2 – Decision Support

During this class, you’ll learn how to build queries in Retail Link® from start to finish. Walmart experts will show you how to create and retrieve:

  • Company Summary reports
  • Store Detail reports
  • Basic Sales and Inventory reports
  • Replenishment reports
  • Forecasts
  • POS and Markdowns reports

Retail Link® 3 – Analysis

You know how to pull a great report, but do you see the story behind the numbers? Can you communicate it to your team and the Walmart buyer? You can after this class!

We deep-dive on telling the story your reports show: what they say about your customer, justifying new store counts, and verifying you have items in the right stores. We’ll also teach you how to make a case to adjust your forecast and recognize when a tread offers a new opportunity.

Save 10% by Reserving All 3 Classes!

Want to take all three classes? Reserve them all at once and you’ll get a 10% discount! The best part is, you don’t have to take them all at once. Take them at your convenience within 90 days of signing up.

How Can I Learn the Tools and Shortcuts?

Helping suppliers and analysts is what 8th & Walton does every week in Northwest Arkansas and across the country. To take that next step in your journey with Walmart by mastering Retail Link®: