Walmart Marketplace is an ideal platform for third-party sellers. It allows suppliers to list their items on Walmart.com the same way they do on Amazon or eBay.
Not only can new suppliers get their products in front of Walmart’s massive online audience, but selling on Walmart Marketplace can lead to a relationship with the Walmart merchant team. Walmart Marketplace sellers who succeed may find offers for store placement.
One way to drive online sales and credibility is through good online customer reviews. Positive Walmart Marketplace reviews will result in more profits and a great reputation with Walmart merchants.
For potential Walmart Marketplace sellers, it is important to note that customer reviews are not just specific to your items; the reviews on Walmart.com are for your company as well!
What Are Walmart Marketplace Reviews?
Walmart Marketplace reviews are feedback that Walmart requests from shoppers about their purchases and experience on Walmart.com.
Walmart Marketplace reviews serve two purposes for Walmart and its customers. The company solicits feedback from Walmart.com shoppers on the items they purchase and the suppliers Walmart is allowing to sell on its platform.
When a customer purchases an item from Walmart.com that is being sold by a Walmart Marketplace seller, the customer is sent two emails:
- One email requesting them to review the product they purchased; and
- Another email requesting them to review the Marketplace Seller.
Customers can review the actual product they purchased as they would on any other website. However, Walmart also wants a review of the Marketplace supplier selling on their site.
Walmart Marketplace seller reviews inform other customers of the shopping experience (communication with Marketplace seller, quality of service, shipping, delivery, returns, etc.).
If you’re preparing to sell on the Walmart Marketplace for the first time, research before you apply. Check out our blog How to Sell to Walmart: Get Your Product in Walmart in 4 Steps.
Where Do Reviews Appear in Walmart Marketplace?
All item pages on Walmart.com are structured the same. Whether the item is sold and shipped from Walmart or through a third-party Walmart Marketplace seller, customers can find reviews in the same place on each page.
Reviews for the items being purchased are described in two places on the item page. The number of reviews and the average rating (based on a 5-star rating system) appear just below the name of the item in the top right corner of the item page.
Clicking on the number of reviews will take the shopper to the bottom of the item page where they can read the actual product reviews left by other customers.
If the item is being sold by a Walmart Marketplace seller, shoppers can also see reviews for the third-party company. Under the Add to Cart button at the top of the item page, there is a section explaining shipping information. This is where customers will see “Sold and shipped by (name of Marketplace Seller).”
The customer can see the average 5-star review score for the Marketplace Seller here along with the total number of reviews they have received. Clicking on the Walmart Marketplace Seller’s name will take the customer to another page where they can see other items being sold by this seller and read individual reviews.
Why Are Reviews Important to Marketplace Sellers?
Marketplace sellers should seek out more reviews from customers. Online shoppers value feedback from those who have purchased the items and left positive or negative comments. In the world of e-commerce, online customer reviews have become the traditional “word-of-mouth” marketing.
Retail analysts have been studying the value and impact of online reviews for years. To understand why Marketplace sellers need more reviews from customers, here are the top findings from e-commerce experts at Search Engine Land, Review Trackers, and the Pew Research Center:
Reviews Are Read Immediately
Why are customer reviews so important? Because 85% of shoppers read through them before making a purchase. More good reviews about quality products and great service can help add to the buy box.
Reviews Are Trusted by Shoppers
Almost 80% of online shoppers trust reviews left by other customers. Even not knowing the person who left the review, they value it as they would a recommendation from a friend. In fact, about 67% of online shoppers say they are influenced more to make a purchase simply from reviews.
Reviews Reflect the Business
Though Marketplace sellers are their own business, they still represent Walmart. Negative reviews on a Marketplace seller’s item page will also reflect badly on Walmart. To stay selling on Walmart.com, Marketplace sellers need to prioritize quality products and service to keep a positive relationship with Walmart.
Reviews Impact More Than Algorithms
When a customer is searching for an item on Walmart.com, many factors contribute to how items rank in the search results. Studies show that customers do not necessarily believe the top items on the list are the best offers or highest quality. While marketing content can impact how an algorithm ranks items, content created by customers (reviews) has a greater influence on buying decisions than search engine results.
Reviews Increase Perceived Value
Which is more valuable when it comes to making the decision to buy? More customers are willing to pay more for items with better reviews. Over 50% of online shoppers say items with good reviews are more appealing than those with an advertised lower price.
8 Ways to Get More Reviews on Walmart Marketplace
More reviews on Walmart Marketplace will build trust with shoppers and the Walmart merchant team. To grow the number of reviews and build up more positive ones, Marketplace sellers should consider the following:
- Prioritize Product and Service – A quality product and great customer service are the foundation for better reviews. While some shoppers will talk or comment about positive experiences, more will share negative experiences as a warning to others. Start with the basics of great items and great customer service to earn reviews.
- Ask for a Review – When a customer is perfectly satisfied with products and services, they may not think to go back to a website to leave a review. Marketplace sellers should prompt them for a review, whether by email or a note in their package. Research from Search Engine Land shows that 70% of online shoppers will leave a review when requested by the seller.
- Respond to Negative Reviews – Walmart Marketplace sellers should not fear negative customer reviews. Mistakes happen, deliveries get delayed, and customers can grow impatient. Responding to negative reviews and correcting the mistakes shows other shoppers a great level of customer service. This is also noticed by Walmart merchants!
- Send Product Samples – A variety of companies and marketing firms build reviews for sellers through product sample programs (much like Walmart’s Spark Reviewer program). Items are sent to a list of consumers who use them and keep them in exchange for online reviews.
- Use Social Media Feedback – Great brands stay active on social media. When followers have great experiences with products and customer service, they will sometimes post reviews on the company’s social media page. They may also post a review on their own page and tag the company. In either case, the supplier can capture the review as a screenshot and add it to the user-generated images or testimonials on their item page.
- Create an Email List – Great feedback starts with great communication. While creating an email distribution list takes time, it pays off in the long run when soliciting reviews from customers. Suppliers can send emails to their email list with offers that link customers to their Walmart.com item pages. It’s also a great way to advertise special offers or discounts for reviews.
- Target Shoppers that Reviewed Similar Items – One of the easiest ways to get reviews is to research shoppers who have reviewed similar items. At the bottom of a supplier’s item page, Walmart lists items like the featured product. Clicking on these items leads to the items page and reviews. In addition to learning what competitors are doing right, a supplier can target these customers with offers to buy or sample. While the usernames for reviewers are not clickable on Walmart.com, suppliers can reach out to these customers by searching their handles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
- Answer Questions Online – Walmart Marketplace sellers are given a question and answer feature on their product pages. Shoppers can ask questions about items, which can be answered by the Marketplace seller or a customer who previously purchased the product. Online shoppers appreciate the shared interaction and answers from sellers and other consumers who have purchased that item. This leads to a better customer experience, higher conversion rate, and great review at the end of the sale.
What Does Walmart Look For in Reviews?
Walmart monitors its Marketplace sellers’ performance through sales, performance, and customer reviews. What specifically is Walmart looking for in reviews?
While the company does not tell customers how to write their feedback, there are qualities that make some reviews stand out:
More Information Is Better
Walmart would rather see a review with two paragraphs of text rather than a simple “Great product. Highly recommend.”
A long and detailed review is not only informative, but it creates a dialogue amongst customers. In Walmart’s eyes, reviews that are at least six or seven lines long have more value than just simple star reviews or reviews with only a couple of lines of text.
Verified Purchasers Are Favored
There are some reviews that Walmart will tag a “Verified Purchaser.” It simply informs other shoppers that this review was written by a genuine customer and was not solicited from other sources. The Verified Purchaser tag adds value to the supplier’s item page and makes these reviews stand out from the rest.
Images and Videos Stand Out
When leaving a product review, Walmart lets customers upload pictures and videos. This content stands out from the reviews that simply give star ratings and a few lines of text. It also gives more credibility in the eyes of other shoppers and Walmart merchants as well.
Conclusion
Online shoppers research products and user experiences long before making a purchase. Much of that research is in the reviews left on sites like Walmart.com. Walmart Marketplace sellers are wise to prioritize growing the number of reviews they receive and interacting with negative reviews to correct mistakes and improve their business.
Questions about online success with Walmart.com or other aspects of your Walmart business? Submit the form below and one of our advisors will contact you!
