Dodge Walmart Deductions 🥊

Me trying to explain to my buyer why our product belongs in more than one Walmart department.

Greetings Vendorville,

Cracking the code of how Walmart sorts its products can be a secret weapon as a supplier. This is why we have assembled a hierarchy of Walmart's item organization, to help equip you for battle.🛡️

Mastering these classifications can simplify your operations, boost where and how your products are displayed, and strengthen your relationships with Walmart buyers, leading to shared success.

So let’s break it down.

Departments and Categories

At Walmart, your product’s placement isn’t just a matter of finding an empty shelf. It’s all about strategic organization. Products are meticulously organized by department and category. For example, If you’re selling men’s athletic socks, you can find them in:

Men's Wear (department) > Socks (category) > Athletic Socks (subcategory)

But here’s the kicker: Sometimes, your product can strut its stuff in more than one department. Take headphones, for instance. They could be living it up in both Electronics and Impulse, capturing all the tech lovers and impulse buyers in one swoop!

Subcategories

Next up, we’ve got subcategories. These nifty little labels further refine where your product fits in the grand scheme of things. For example, those fabulous women’s running shoes? They’ll likely be found under:

Shoes (department) > Athletic Shoes Women (category) > Running Shoes Women (subcategory)

Subcategories are all about making things easy to find and oh-so-precise. They’re like the personal shoppers of the product world, ensuring everything is just where it needs to be for maximum customer satisfaction.

Finelines

Now, let’s talk finelines. Think of finelines as the VIP section of Walmart’s organizational system. Each product gets a unique four-digit number that pinpoints its exact location in the hierarchy.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Department > Category > Subcategory > Fineline > Item

Finelines are crucial because they help your product stand out and ✨shine.✨ Correct fineline assignment means your product will get prime visibility and be easy for customers to find.

Want your item to be the star of the show? Make sure it’s got the right fineline number and watch those sales soar. 🌠

This insight is only just the beginning, Vendorville. 😏 We have put together a Walmart Departments, Categories, and Finelines Cheat Sheet that you can have on the go. In this resource you can have easy access to:

A breakdown of Walmart’s Item Hierarchy
A list of Walmart's departments, their corresponding accounting departments, how they are categorized for On-Time In-Full metrics, and some example categories.
Item Analysis with Supplier One
Item Analysis with Luminate

Other Retailer News 📰

Target shares slide as consumers buy fewer groceries and home goods

“Big-box retailer Target reported first-quarter earnings days after it said it would lower prices on thousands of groceries and everyday items.”

Amazon Grows its Roster of Grocery Delivery Partners

“The company is now offering the service from Lucky Supermarkets in the San Francisco Bay Area.”

Walmart Beats Expectations in Q1 as Revenue Surpasses $160B

“The company's e-commerce sales rose 21%, driven by store-fulfilled pickup and delivery and strength within its marketplace.”

Rick’s Tips 💘

While One-Click Rick is currently SupplyPikes trusty mascot, his experience goes way way back. Today he wanted to go way back to his time as a Walmart supplier and share some of his sage wisdom of how it all goes down.

“Four Steps to Becoming a Walmart Supplier:

1) Present the Merchandise: Provide detailed information about your product, including dimensions, components, Federal Taxpayer ID, GTIN, and UPC numbers. Don’t forget a product photo!

2) Get an Application ID Number: Once Walmart reviews your application, you’ll receive an application ID number via email. Keep this number handy for future reference.

3) Receive an Invitation to the Supplier Questionnaire: After passing initial reviews, fill out a detailed supplier questionnaire. This includes company details, sales info, and production sites. If approved you’ll be contacted by a Walmart buyer within a month.

4) Review the Supplier Agreement: If everything checks out, Walmart will issue a Supplier Agreement. Carefully review the terms then sign and submit it! "

Let’s Circle Back 🌀

Word on the street is that NY times has a new competitor in town and its taking everyone for surpise 💅In the words of CNN, “Move over New York Times, now LinkedIn is adding brain-busting games.”

While NY Times has been dominating the game field for the past few years, Linkedin has leveraged the popularity of brain twister games and added some creative strategy, stirring the competition beyond just their own competitors. ☕ University students and alumni who play the game contribute to rankings that determine the top ranking school for each game! The ultimate goal is to encourage workers, students, alumni, and peers to share their results and create camaraderie among networks.

What do you think, Vendorville? 👀

Are the LinkedIn games a new personal favorite, or are you a die-hard fan of the NY Times?

❤️ Sincerely, Your Friends in Vendorville

SupplierWiki

A Breakdown of Walmart’s Item Hierarchy ⚔️