Walmart Affiliate Program: A detailed guide on the benefits of joining the program

Jeniffer Alexander

April 3, 2024 14 mins to read

Imagine this: You have an online platform that you’ve poured your heart and soul into. It’s informative, and engaging, and attracts a steady stream of visitors. But wouldn’t it be incredible if your passion project could also become a lucrative income stream?

If you’re passionate about giving information about products, attracting a pool audience, and encouraging and guiding them to find the right product, then the Walmart affiliate program helps you build a lucrative income stream.

Let me explain.

Walmart has an extensive range of products in its marketplace. If you are a talented blogger or a social media influencer with dedicated traffic or building one, you can earn commissions by promoting their products.

We’ll discuss all the things you need to know to get started with the Walmart Affiliate Program in this article. Let’s get started and unlock your full earning potential now!

Here is a sneak peek into the article

What is Walmart’s affiliate program?

Walmart’s affiliate program is a marketing initiative that allows individuals and businesses to earn commissions by promoting Walmart’s products on their own websites, blogs, or social media platforms.

Participants in the program, known as affiliates, receive unique tracking links or banners that they can place on their platforms.

Let me explain how you can use it.

Meet Sarah, a passionate fashion blogger who spent months building her online presence, sharing her unique style, and inspiring others. But Sarah wanted to take her marketing strategy to the next level and add a source of income with affiliate marketing. That’s when she turned to the Walmart affiliate program.

By seamlessly integrating Walmart’s top-notch fashion products into her content and recommending them to her audience, Sarah started earning commissions for every sale made through her affiliate links. Not only did she generate a substantial income, but her readers also trusted her recommendations, knowing that Walmart is a trusted and well-established brand.

The Walmart affiliate program provides you with access to a vast catalog of products available on Walmart’s website, ranging from electronics and home appliances to clothing and groceries. You can have the flexibility to choose the specific products you want to promote and can create custom links or banners to fit your content and audience.

To join the program, you need to apply through Walmart’s affiliate network.

How does Walmart’s affiliate program work?

Walmart provides you with a range of banners and links for pre-selected products and special offers that you can strategically place on your website or social media account. Whenever a visitor on your site clicks on a Walmart link or banner and completes a purchase from the Walmart store, you earn a commission. Walmart tracks these transactions and credits your account accordingly. It’s a straightforward process that rewards you for driving sales through your promotional efforts.

Additionally, if there are specific products you want to highlight, you can easily find and generate unique links for them directly on the Walmart website.

To keep you up to date and help you stay ahead, Walmart regularly shares new banners and text links through their affiliate newsletter. This way, you’ll always have fresh, engaging content to share with your audience.

In a nutshell, as a member of Walmart’s affiliate program, you’ll have access to a variety of promotional materials, including banners and links, to showcase Walmart’s products. By driving traffic and generating sales through these links, you’ll earn commissions and make your mark as a successful Walmart affiliate.

Pros and Cons of the Walmart affiliate program

Here are the pros of the Walmart affiliate program

Brand recognition

One of the major benefits of joining the Walmart affiliate program is the immense brand recognition they provide. Unlike smaller niche websites, Walmart is a globally recognized retail giant known for its wide range of products and affordable prices.

When you promote Walmart products through your affiliate link, potential customers are already familiar with the brand and trust its reputation. This credibility makes them more inclined to click on your link, visit the Walmart website, and potentially make a purchase. As a result, you can drive more traffic to Walmart, while also earning passive income through the affiliate program. It’s a win-win situation that leverages the power of Walmart’s brand recognition to boost your affiliate marketing efforts.

Easy-to-use platform

Walmart provides affiliates with a user-friendly platform that simplifies the process of promoting their products. They offer a variety of features to support your affiliate journey, which include:

Product and offer links
Offer banners
WordPress Plugin
Chrome Extension

Additionally, Walmart’s dashboard serves as a central hub where you can monitor your affiliate sales and access analytics data. This comprehensive overview helps you track the performance of your campaigns, identify products that are selling well, and understand the commission you’re earning.

With these features and tools at your disposal, Walmart’s platform empowers you to effectively manage and optimize your affiliate marketing efforts. It also saves you time and effort, allowing you to focus on creating content and driving sales.

Fast onboarding process

Unlike some affiliate programs that have strict requirements, such as an established website with a minimum number of visitors and a positive reputation, the Walmart affiliate program offers more accessibility to affiliates who are just starting.

The process is a relatively lenient signup process, increasing your chances of getting approved as an affiliate. So even if you’re new to affiliate marketing or don’t have a large audience yet, you still have an opportunity to join and start earning commissions through the program.

The inclusive nature of the Walmart affiliate program makes it more welcoming to affiliate marketers at various stages of their journey, opening doors for aspiring affiliates to collaborate with a reputable retail brand like Walmart.

Wide range of trustworthy products

Walmart offers a vast selection of products across various categories, including electronics, home goods, clothing, groceries, and more. As an affiliate, you have access to this extensive catalog, allowing you to choose products that align with your niche or target audience.

Supposedly if you are writing about home decor, you can link it to curtains or sofas, etc. The diversity and quality of Walmart’s offerings enhance your ability to promote products that appeal to a wide range of customers.

Lengthy cookie window duration

Another significant advantage of the Walmart affiliate program is the duration of its cookie window. The cookie window refers to the duration during which you can earn a commission if a customer purchases after clicking your affiliate link.

In the Walmart affiliate program, when a visitor on your website clicks on one of your affiliate links leading to the Walmart store, they are tracked for three days. If they purchase within that time frame, you will earn your commission.

It’s important to note that Walmart’s three-day tracking period is more generous compared to the 24-hour cookie duration offered by Amazon’s Associate’s affiliate program. This extended tracking window provides you with a greater opportunity to earn commissions on sales made by your referred visitors, even if they don’t make an immediate purchase.

Here are the cons of the Walmart affiliate program

Low commission rates

One common downside of the Walmart affiliate program is its relatively low commission rates compared to some popular affiliate programs.

There are programs where you can earn as high as 60% of commission by promoting products in other niches or from other retailers, whereas, in Walmart, you can make only up to 4%. This can impact your overall earning potential, mainly if you heavily rely on affiliate commissions for income.

Low conversion

While Walmart’s extensive physical presence is undoubtedly a strength for the brand, it can pose a challenge for affiliates in terms of conversion rates. With Walmart stores being conveniently located everywhere, potential shoppers tend to visit their local store and physically inspect and buy the products instead of purchasing them online.

As a result, affiliates promoting popular products from Walmart may encounter lower conversion rates. Customers who have the opportunity to see and evaluate the items in person may choose to buy directly from the store rather than through an affiliate link.

This dynamic can make it more difficult for affiliates to generate substantial earnings through the program, as they need to focus on promoting products that offer a unique value proposition and aren’t as readily available in physical stores.

Recommended Guide: Why should you advertise on Walmart?

What do you get out of the Walmart affiliate program?

When you join the Walmart affiliate program, you can start earning commissions on a wide range of products. As an affiliate, you’ll have the chance to promote Walmart’s offerings to its massive customer base. With millions of shoppers who trust the Walmart brand, you’ll have a built-in audience ready to make purchases.

The main perk of the Walmart affiliate program is the opportunity to earn commissions on product sales.

Walmart goes the extra mile by offering data feeds that give you insights into their top-selling and exclusive products. This valuable information helps you make informed decisions about the products you promote. Additionally, they organize contests that provide exciting opportunities to earn even more commissions.

Throughout your journey as a Walmart affiliate, their dedicated team is available to assist you in maximizing your sales and optimizing your affiliate efforts.

Walmart affiliate program commissions

The commission rates offered by Walmart vary depending on the department or category of the product being sold.

Here’s a breakdown of the commission rates by department:

Category	Commission
Media & Gaming, Electronics, Cameras and Supplies, Wireless	1% of item
Toys, Books & Magazines, Seasonal, Celebration, Stationery, Sporting Goods, Automotive, Hardware & Tools/Do It Yourself, Patio and Garden, Horticulture	3% of item sale amount
Arts, Crafts, Sewing & Fabric, Cook and Dine, Home Decor, Bath and Shower, Bedding, Home Management, Furniture	3% of item sale amount
Pets and Supplies, Beauty, Baby Hardlines	3% of item
Mens Apparel, Baby/Toddler/Boys/Girls Apparel, Shoes, Intimate Apparel/Womens Apparel, Accessories, Jewelry	4% of item sale amount

These rates determine the percentage of the sale amount that affiliates earn as commission for each product sold within the respective category.

For instance, if someone purchases a $50 product with a commission rate of 4%, the affiliate would receive $2 in commission for that sale.

As you know the breakdown of category, let’s move on to the payouts:

When it comes to payout, affiliates receive payments once per month for their net sales from the previous month.

The payment amount is calculated by deducting returns, sales tax, shipping, and handling from the net sales.

The first payout is typically received approximately one month after signing up for the program, provided that there were qualifying sales. The payments are facilitated through the Impact Radius Affiliate Network, which offers payout options such as PayPal or direct deposit.

Check out this guide to learn about Amazon return pallets.

How to join the Walmart Affiliate Program

Joining the Walmart affiliate program is a straightforward process, and here are the steps to meet the approval criteria.

Requirements to become a Walmart affiliate

To become an affiliate, you need to fulfill a few requirements:

You must have an active website to participate in the Walmart affiliate program. This means that your website should be live and regularly updated with content. Having an established online presence is crucial as it allows you to effectively promote Walmart’s products to your audience.

It’s essential that your website maintains a family-friendly environment and adheres to ethical guidelines. This means that your content should not contain any illegal, offensive, or sexually explicit material. Walmart aims to partner with affiliates who uphold a positive and safe online experience for users.

It is preferred that a significant portion of your website’s traffic comes from North America. This is because Walmart primarily operates in the North American market, and affiliates with audiences in this region have a higher potential to drive traffic and generate sales.

By ensuring that you have an active website, maintain appropriate content, and have a substantial North American audience, you increase your chances of being approved as a Walmart affiliate.

It’s important to note that meeting these requirements does not guarantee automatic approval, as the final decision rests with Walmart’s affiliate program administrators. However, if you fulfill these criteria and align with Walmart’s guidelines, you have a good chance of being accepted into the program.

A step-by-step process for joining the Walmart affiliate program

To join the Walmart affiliate program, follow these steps:

Visit the Walmart affiliate program website and click “Sign up” to begin the application process.
Complete the application form by providing accurate and detailed information about yourself and your company. This may include personal details, contact information, and business information if applicable.
Proceed to the section “Promotion and Media” where you need to specify your promotional methods.
Choose the methods that you plan to promote Walmart’s products, such as website, blog, social media, YouTube, or email marketing. Additionally, indicate the countries which you intend to promote the products.
Add your media properties, including the type of property (e.g., website, blog), its URL (web address), and a brief description of your website or business.
Read through the agreement provided by Walmart. Once you have reviewed the terms and conditions, click on the “Sumit application.”

Recommended read: How to become a Walmart Spark Reviewer?

After submitting your application, you will receive an email notification from Walmart. Typically, within 24 hours, you will be informed if your application has been accepted or not. Upon acceptance, you will gain access to a variety of banners, links, and tools specifically designed for affiliate marketing. These resources will assist you in promoting Walmart’s products effectively.

As people click on the links and make qualifying purchases, you will earn commissions based on the agreed-upon commission rates.

How long does it take to get approved for the Walmart Affiliate program?

After submitting your application to join the Walmart affiliate program, you can expect to receive a response from the Walmart team within 24 hours. The approval or denial of applications is entirely at the discretion of Walmart, and in some cases, applicants may receive rejections without a clear explanation.

While many applicants experience a swift approval process and can start earning commissions right away, there are instances where you can face automatic rejections without any reasons provided. It’s important to understand that the decision-making process is controlled by Walmart, and they have specific criteria or factors they consider when reviewing applications.

Walmart explicitly states that they reserve the right to remove any sites from the affiliate program at any time and for any reason. This means that even if your application is initially approved, Walmart retains the authority to revoke the affiliation if they deem it necessary.

So, it’s advisable to adhere to Walmart’s guidelines and ensure that your promotional methods align with their expectations to increase your chances of a successful and ongoing affiliation with the Walmart affiliate program.

Wrapping it up!

The Walmart affiliate program offers a promising opportunity for you looking to monetize your online presence. With its extensive range of products, brand recognition, and user-friendly platform, Walmart provides affiliates with the necessary tools to promote and earn commissions on their offerings.

By leveraging Walmart’s trusted brand and utilizing the provided banners, links, and promotional materials, affiliates can tap into a vast customer base and potentially boost their earnings. Ultimately, the Walmart affiliate program offers the potential for financial success through strategic promotion and driving sales. Whether you have an established website or are just starting out, joining the Walmart affiliate program can be a valuable addition to your affiliate marketing ventures.

Additional read:

Importance of Walmart inventory management

What are the criteria to get the Pro Seller badge?

A Joint Analysis by Payoneer and SellerApp

11 actionable Walmart advertising strategies.

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Post Written by:

Jeniffer Alexander Jeniffer Alexander is a content writer at SellerApp. She writes about eCommerce and Amazon for sellers to help them sell their products. She has a creative spirit and enjoys reading and writing short stories in her free time.