Adding a new sales channel usually means paying before you earn. Subscription plans, setup charges and launch ad spend can add up before your first order ships. Walmart Marketplace works differently, and through January 31, 2027, first-time sellers can also get discounts on the fees they do pay.
Walmart calls the program New-Seller Savings. It offers up to $72,000 in referral fee discounts, plus fulfillment and advertising credits, to sellers who start on Walmart Marketplace during the 2026 offer period. If you already run a dropshipping store and have been weighing Walmart as your next channel, here is what the program covers, who qualifies and what it could mean for your first months of selling.
What Walmart Marketplace Charges New Sellers
Walmart Marketplace has no setup fee and no monthly subscription. Sellers pay a referral fee only when an item sells. That fee is a percentage of the total sale price, and the rate depends on the product category.
Most categories charge 8% to 15%, and the full range runs from 5% to 20%. Some categories use tiered rates that change with the item's price. One detail matters for pricing: Walmart calculates the fee on the total sales price, which includes shipping, handling, gift wrap and other charges, not just the item price. Here are some of the categories dropshippers sell in most, from Walmart's referral fee schedule:
Because there is no fixed monthly cost, a new Walmart store does not lose money while you are still choosing products and building listings. Your fees grow only as your sales do. That structure is what makes the New-Seller Savings program worth paying attention to: the discount applies to the one fee every seller pays.
What Walmart New-Seller Savings Includes
New-Seller Savings bundles four benefits. According to Walmart's general offer details, the combined maximum is $72,000 in referral fee discounts, $2,000 in Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) discounts, $500 in Walmart Connect ad credits and $1,000 in search engine marketing (SEM) credits.
Referral fee discounts
This is the largest part of the program. Once your store goes live, Walmart takes a percentage off your base referral fee based on your cumulative sales (gross merchandise value, or GMV):
20% off referral fees on your first $50,000 in sales
30% off on sales from $50,001 to $500,000
40% off on sales above $500,000
The discount stops when you reach $72,000 in total savings or on January 31, 2027, whichever comes first.
Here is how that math works for a store selling in a 15% category. These figures only show how the tiers apply. They are not sales projections.
WFS discount
Sellers who use Walmart Fulfillment Services get 10% off eligible fulfillment fees, up to $2,000. At least one of your items has to be received at a Walmart fulfillment center to qualify. Prep services and fees for non-compliant inbound shipments are not discounted.
Most dropshippers ship orders directly from their suppliers rather than storing inventory with Walmart, so this credit matters most if you plan to add WFS later.
Walmart Connect ad credit
New sellers who have not advertised with Walmart Connect can get a $500 ad credit. To qualify, you need an Ad Center account in good standing with at least one admin user, at least one item with a listing quality score of 80 or higher, and at least one item that ships in three days or less (or uses WFS). You opt in through a link in a Walmart Connect email. The credit has to be used within 28 days of your first qualifying ad spend or by January 31, 2027, whichever is sooner.
SEM credits
Walmart also rebates 50% of eligible search engine marketing spend. Verified brand owners registered on the Walmart Brand Portal can get up to $1,000 after spending at least $2,000. Other new sellers can get up to $250 after spending at least $500.
Who Qualifies for New-Seller Savings
The program is limited to first-time sellers. Under Walmart's terms, you need to:
Be a first-time Walmart Marketplace seller, domestic or international
Start selling after February 1, 2026, and complete all onboarding steps
Accept the New-Seller Savings enrollment terms in Seller Center
Keep strong performance metrics and stay within Walmart's policies through January 31, 2027
The savings apply to one seller account only. Walmart prohibits opening new accounts to claim the offer again, and it can change or end the program at any time. Check the current offer terms before you apply.
You also have to be approved to sell on Walmart in the first place. Walmart reviews each application, and approval is not guaranteed. Doba's guide to Walmart Marketplace approval covers what Walmart checks, and our post on registering as a Walmart seller lists the documents you'll need.
Why Timing Matters
All four benefits end on January 31, 2027. The program has no fixed window per seller, so a store that goes live in December gets far fewer discounted months than one that launches in November.
Approval and onboarding also take time. Walmart's review can run anywhere from a few days to several weeks, and you still need to connect your catalog and publish listings after that. If you are planning to add Walmart in the next year, applying now gives you the longest stretch of discounted fees.
Other Costs to Budget For
No monthly fee doesn't mean no startup costs. Before you launch, plan for:
Product costs. You pay your supplier for each item you sell, so your price has to cover the product, shipping and Walmart's referral fee.
Product identifiers. Walmart requires a valid GTIN, such as a UPC, for most listings. If your supplier doesn't provide one, you'll need to buy barcodes from GS1.
Sourcing and automation tools. A supplier platform or listing tool usually carries its own subscription.
Advertising. The ad credits help you test campaigns, but sustained ad spend is your cost after the credits run out.
Returns. Walmart sets return expectations for sellers, so factor return shipping and refunds into your margins.
A referral fee discount stretches your margin on every sale, but it works best when your pricing already accounts for these costs.
How Doba Helps You Get Started on Walmart
New-Seller Savings lowers your fees once sales start. Doba helps with the work that comes before and after that: finding products, listing them and fulfilling orders. Doba is an approved Walmart Solution Provider, and its Walmart integration connects directly to your Walmart seller account.
Here is what that covers:
Sourcing. Find products from vetted U.S. suppliers at wholesale prices, without buying inventory upfront. Our guide to choosing a Walmart dropshipping supplier explains what to look for.
Listing. Push products to your Walmart store without rebuilding every listing by hand.
Inventory sync. Keep stock levels and prices current so you don't sell items your supplier has run out of.
Order fulfillment. Route Walmart orders to suppliers, who ship directly to your customers.
White-glove onboarding. Get one-on-one help connecting your store and preparing your catalog.
Shipping speed also matters for the savings program. The Walmart Connect ad credit requires at least one item that ships in three days or less, and Walmart tracks on-time delivery for every seller. Sourcing from suppliers with U.S. warehouses makes those standards easier to meet. Doba's Walmart product guide covers which categories fit the marketplace, and the Walmart setup guide walks through your first listings and test order.
How to Claim New-Seller Savings
Check your eligibility. Confirm you've never had a Walmart Marketplace seller account and that you can meet Walmart's seller requirements.
Gather your documents. Have your business tax ID, verification documents and product identifiers ready before you start the application.
Apply to sell on Walmart. Submit your application and wait for Walmart's review.
Complete onboarding and accept the offer terms. After approval, finish the onboarding steps and accept the New-Seller Savings terms in Seller Center.
Connect Doba and publish your first listings. The referral fee discount starts once your store goes live, so the sooner your catalog is up, the more of the offer period you'll use.
Ready to sell on Walmart? Expand to Walmart with Doba to start your application and get your store ready with products from U.S. suppliers.
Disclosure: Doba may receive a referral fee from Walmart when a new seller registers through Doba.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Walmart Marketplace charge a monthly fee?
No. Walmart Marketplace has no setup fee and no monthly subscription. Sellers pay a referral fee, a percentage of each sale that varies by category, only when an item sells.
How much can new Walmart sellers save?
Up to $72,000 in referral fee discounts, plus up to $2,000 in WFS discounts, $500 in Walmart Connect ad credits and $1,000 in SEM credits. Your actual savings depend on how much you sell and which benefits you qualify for.
Who qualifies for Walmart New-Seller Savings?
First-time Walmart Marketplace sellers who start selling after February 1, 2026, complete onboarding, accept the program terms in Seller Center and keep good performance metrics.
When does Walmart New-Seller Savings end?
The discounts run until January 31, 2027, or until you reach the maximum savings, whichever comes first. Walmart can change or end the offer at any time.
Can dropshippers use New-Seller Savings?
Yes, as long as they're approved as Walmart Marketplace sellers and meet the program terms. Walmart requires sellers to be the seller of record and prohibits buying from other retailers to fulfill orders, so dropshippers need a direct supplier source like Doba.
