The news is out: Walmart has launched Supplier One, and it is available for all suppliers to use now. It can be accessed through the Supplier One app in Retail Link or through the website.
An online portal that consolidates some functions found in Retail Link, Supplier One is billed by Walmart as offering suppliers a “unified” experience. It is being designed as a spoke and hub model: Think of it as a one-stop shop for managing daily supplier tasks.
What Is Supplier One?
Supplier One is a new portal that consolidates Retail Link© apps, such as Item 360 and PO management. It is available to all continental U.S. suppliers.
What Is the Purpose of Supplier One?
The purpose of Supplier One is to improve and streamline supplier processes. A video introduction from Walmart notes that Supplier One will allow users to access critical data, information, and apps without opening multiple windows on their computers.
Supplier One website indicates that the platform will provide the following:
Unified Experience
Walmart Suppliers can manage many of their processes through Supplier One, whether they are selling online, in-store, or a mix of both.
State-Of-The-Art Support
Users can access real-time support and a single location for all support tickets. You can review your support tickets, download transcripts, and quickly get the help you need.
Insight-Driven Recommendations
When you enter the Supplier One dashboard, you’ll find a summary of your top tasks, making it easy to set priorities and ensure compliance with Walmart’s requirements.
API and App Integrations
Supplier One quickly, smoothly, and effectively connects to and integrates with apps and other portals. Nobody on your end will need to add code, and you’ll get your team up and running quickly.
Key Features of Supplier One
Its key features fall into four categories: items and inventory, claims and returns, order management, and payments and charges.
Items and Inventory
The Items and Inventory feature complements Retail Link’s© Item 360 and its current functions: Catalog, Setup, Maintenance, and Submissions Manager, with an enhanced interface.
- Catalog: The catalog functionality provides a listing of your products with details such as Universal Product Codes (UPC), Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN), and Walmart Item Numbers (WIN).
- Setup Hub: A hub for adding items, shippers, item proposals, and multibox shipping.
- Maintenance: This is another hub for maintaining your current items. You can manage DSV inventory, item media and content, and supply chain details.
- Submissions Manager: A single interface for all item creation and maintenance submissions.
There are no plans to disable or replace Item 360 in Retail Link at this time.
Performance Scorecard
Returns are a big concern for many suppliers, and scorecards provide better tracking of claims and returns.
The Scorecard shows a list of key metrics for your business. It is like an OTIF Scorecard with content health scores, and it gives information (for both e-commerce and in-store) such as In full, On time, and content quality. The metrics also include the current score and target score.
The Claims and Returns Scorecard provides an overview of return-related metrics, categorized by gross merchandise value, units, and return reasons. This information can help you and your team understand why customers return your products and the financial impact of returns on your business.
- GMV: The GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) category calculates return dollars and your GMV return rate compared with the previous period.
- Units: Units metrics provide the same details and comparisons as the GMV category, but these are broken down into Return Units and Units Return Rate.
- Return Reasons: A ring graph depicts the reasons for returns, including the consumer changing his or her mind, damaged merchandise, and items that don’t work properly.
- Top Returned Items: This section shows you, at a glance, which items are most often returned. You can further segment these items by factors such as item number, return dollars, and return rate.
Order Management
This section mimics some of what NOVA does in Retail Link. Track your orders by status, including New POs, Closed Orders, and Past Due. This section also tracks fill rates and shortages.
Payments and Charges
You can use the Payments and Charges section to track your payments and view your data in sortable columns. These columns include Distribution Center IDs, Amount Paid to Vendor, PO#, and others.
Tips and Strategies to Navigate Supplier One
Working with a new platform can be challenging, and it is expected that Supplier One will undergo some refinements over the coming weeks and months. Here are some tips for working effectively within the system:
- Set aside some time to familiarize yourself with the platform and learn how you can best make use of it. One example is how many of Supplier One’s features offer multiple options for sorting data. Experiment to see which sort meets your supplier’s business needs best.
- The recommendations feature on your dashboard alerts you to prioritized tasks. Take advantage of this “to-do” list and monitor your productivity. You might find that Supplier One becomes your first stop each workday!
- As you work in Supplier One, consider ways that its enhancements can help you and your team change or refine your processes.
The Future of Supplier One
Walmart is investing heavily in technology, and there will be continued development of Supplier One and its features.
With ongoing user feedback, the platform might continue to develop its features and functionality, helping suppliers access critical data and optimize their business practices.
In the meantime, this is a good opportunity to review your current processes and practices to ensure a smooth transition to the system. You may also want to check and see if any third-party apps and platforms you use are integrated into the Supplier One system.
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