Left with little to conquer in the way of consumer offerings, Walmart is getting into the secondhand goods game to try and up its online biz with a new tier called “Resold at Walmart.”
It's been a slow, two-year build, but secondhand (aka “recommerce”) is coming into its own. The niche can be defined several different ways, but by all accounts, Walmart is leaning into Amazon’s refurbished product line rather than, say, eBay or Goodwill where “secondhand” goods are sold as-is.
The company’s reason is that the recommerce niche is getting greener by the day – growing 11% in 2023, 7 times faster than the much broader retail clothing market.
Walmart claims Resold has five million items from more than 1,700 sellers, built out of an assortment that has everything from luxury fashion and electronics to collectibles, sporting goods and more.
“By extending the life of these products, Resold at Walmart aligns with our commitment to make the more sustainable choice the everyday choice and builds on the success of Walmart Restored, a collection of refurbished electronics and small appliances powered by Walmart Marketplace,” the company said in its announcement.
Collectibles will be a key positioner
While Amazon’s refurb section does have some collectibles, Walmart evidently feels it can surpass what Amazon offers, especially in the way of exclusives that Amazon doesn’t have.
“In the Collector shop, sellers can now enable preorders to build customer anticipation for drops, including releases exclusive to Walmart,” the company said. And to get collectors to part with their prized collections, Walmart is giving eligible sellers a big break on commission – big as in 0% through October 31 – for action figures, dolls, trading cards, sports memorabilia, comic books, records and musical instruments.
Walmart’s not stopping there either
With the 1-2 punch of digital and physical channels, Walmart’s in a pretty good position to do whatever the heck it wants – and it’s really making that come true, now. Just ask ‘em.
“No other marketplace can offer Walmart’s broad customer reach, physical proximity and seamless integration of digital and physical convenience,” the company boasted.
Its take-charge attitude began earlier this year when Walmart connected Marketplace tire sellers with its Auto Care Centers at 2,300 Walmart Supercenters, giving customers a way to order eligible tires online and have them shipped to a local Supercenter for easy installation.
Then, there’s Walmart LocalFinds, something the company touts as a way to further bridge the gap between online and offline shopping with direct pickup and delivery from sellers’ physical stores.
“It introduces a new way for customers to discover sellers’ merchandise in their vicinities. Paired with Walmart’s last mile delivery network, Walmart LocalFinds will enable speedy deliveries and connect shoppers with local businesses through Walmart’s digital channels,” the company stated.
LocalFinds launches in Atlanta and Dallas this fall, with other cities to follow. 1-800-Flowers.com Inc., a leading provider of online floral and gifts, is the first nationwide seller to participate.