How to sell grocery on Walmart

To sell grocery on Walmart Marketplace, you need pre-approval for ingestible products, shelf-stable food labeled for U.S. retail sale, and enough shelf life left to sell it. Perishable and temperature-controlled foods aren't allowed. The referral fee is 8% when the total sales price is $15 or less and 15% above $15. Margenos is a Walmart reseller tool (Chrome extension and Android app) that shows whether a product is worth selling on Walmart Marketplace: fees, profit, ROI, sales estimates, every competing seller with stock, the Buy Box winner and the product's price and Buy Box history.

Walmart's referral fee for grocery

Walmart's published schedule lists Grocery at 8% for a total sales price of $15 or less, and 15% over $15. The rate applies to the whole price, and shipping counts toward the total.

Hypothetical examples: a $14.50 case of granola bars with free shipping pays 8% = $1.16. An $18.00 multipack pays 15% = $2.70. A $13.50 item with $2.50 shipping has a $16.00 total, so it pays 15% = $2.40. Low-priced food is hard to profit on once you add shipping, which is why most grocery resellers sell multipacks or bundles. See Walmart seller fees.

Approval and food rules on Walmart

Ingestible products are on Walmart's pre-approval list. Walmart's food products policy then sets the rules for what you can list:

• Shelf life: food without a reasonable shelf life, expired food and recalled food are prohibited.
• Labeling: food must be labeled for U.S. retail sale, with a statement of identity, net quantity, Nutrition Facts panel, ingredients including allergens, and manufacturer or distributor information.
• No temperature-controlled food: perishable produce and foods that need time-temperature control for safety (meats, seafood, prepared foods, many juices and dairy alternatives) are generally not allowed. Shelf-stable milks and plant-based drinks, canned and jarred foods are allowed.
• Other prohibitions: adulterated or unsafe food, food from unapproved countries, food claiming SNAP, WIC or EBT eligibility, and food made with prohibited plants such as kratom, CBD and THC.
• Law: food must comply with FDA, FTC and USDA rules plus state and local laws.

Infant formula and baby food have their own, stricter policy; see selling baby products on Walmart. Brand rules still apply; see Walmart restricted brands.

What sells and seasonality

Shelf-stable staples sell steadily: snacks, coffee and tea, baking supplies, spices, candy, drink mixes and specialty or regional foods that are hard to find locally. Seasonal peaks include holiday candy and baking in Q4, Halloween candy in October, grilling sauces in summer and diet-friendly foods in January. Seasonal candy has a hard end date: once the holiday passes, it's discounted everywhere.

Sourcing grocery and the risks

Retail and clearance: clearance food is often short-dated, so check the date before the price. See Walmart clearance reselling. Online arbitrage: you usually can't see dates before buying online; see online arbitrage on Walmart. Wholesale: distributor cases come with fresher dates and invoices; see Walmart wholesale.

• Expiration dates limit how long you can hold stock and whether WFS will take it.
• Heat and melting: chocolate and gummies can be ruined in summer shipping or storage.
• Bundles: multipacks need clear labeling, and every unit needs its own date and compliant label.
• Low price points: shipping can be most of the sale price on cheap food.
• Walmart sells groceries itself at everyday low prices, so third-party wins are usually multipacks, specialty items or products Walmart doesn't carry online.

Checklist before you buy grocery to resell

1. Confirm ingestible approval on your account.
2. Check the date against how long it'll take to sell, plus the WFS cutoffs.
3. Check the label is a U.S. retail label with all required elements.
4. See whether Walmart sells it, how many sellers there are and their stock.
5. Run profit at the right tier, including shipping weight.

See the full will it sell on Walmart checklist.

WFS notes for grocery

WFS requires expiration or best-by dates in MM-DD-YYYY, YY-MM-DD or YYYY-MM-DD format. Items expiring within 60 days won't be received, and items that reach 30 days or less are removed from inventory and returned or disposed of at your expense, without reimbursement. Temperature-controlled items are prohibited in WFS. Compare costs on Walmart WFS fees.

Sources: Walmart Marketplace referral fees · Walmart referral fee schedule for contract categories (updated Mar 9, 2026) · Walmart prohibited products policy: overview (updated Jun 5, 2026) · Walmart food products policy (updated Aug 17, 2026) · WFS: prepare and pack shipments (updated Jul 24, 2026) · WFS prohibited products policy (updated May 12, 2026). Walmart changes its rules; confirm in Seller Center.