Walmart WFS Fees vs Amazon FBA Fees: Which Is Better? 10 minute read Published: March 13, 2021 Modified: June 28, 2022 Share: URL copied Trusted by 4M+ Businesses Your Successful E-Commerce Business Starts Here The all-in-one solution for starting & scaling your e-commerce business. Sign Up For Free Table of Contents Learn about how to optimize your Walmart listing here!Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) Maximum Package Weight/Size:Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) Maximum Package Weight/Size*:Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) fulfillment fees:Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Fulfillment Fees (Non-Apparel):Example Product Fulfillment Fee Comparison:Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) Storage Fees:Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Storage Fees:Frequently Asked Questions Achieve More Results in Less Time With Helium 10 Sign Up For Free Trusted by 4M+ Businesses Your Successful E-Commerce Business Starts Here The all-in-one solution for starting & scaling your e-commerce business. Sign Up For Free This is a quick rundown of Walmart WFS fees vs Amazon FBA fees. Like with everything else in e-commerce, there are pros and cons. I scoured the internet for Walmart WFS vs Amazon FBA fees and couldn’t find data anywhere, so here it is, neatly compiled for your viewing pleasure. You saw it here (outside of Walmart) first. Covered in this post are: Size and weight restrictionsFulfillment fee comparisonsStorage fee comparisonsExample product fees Skip ahead to get straight to the numbers, or keep reading if you need a Walmart refresher. To recap: Walmart Fulfillment Service (WFS) is essentially the Walmart version of Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA). You send in your products to their fulfillment centers, and they pull, pack, and ship directly to your customers when they place an order on the Walmart Marketplace. Walmart is highly selective about who is allowed to sell on Walmart Marketplace through the self-fulfilled method, and even more selective about who gets the privilege to become WFS sellers. If you need a quick introduction to becoming a Walmart Marketplace seller, check out our blog about it. As of this writing, one of the major benefits of selling on Walmart Marketplace is there is drastically less competition than on Amazon since the barrier to entry is much higher. Theoretically, this means only higher quality products that Walmart personally approves can be sold. Learn about how to optimize your Walmart listing here! Size and Weight Restrictions: Walmart Fulfillment Service (WFS) vs Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Walmart Marketplace sets a maximum product package size and weight for products sent to a Walmart fulfillment center. Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) Maximum Package Weight/Size: Maximum WeightMaximum Dimensions30 lbs.25 x 20 x 14 inches Currently, it appears Walmart is keeping its space and logistics optimized by limiting Walmart Marketplace sellers to relatively smaller and lighter packages. Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) Maximum Package Weight/Size*: Maximum WeightMaximum Longest SideMaximum Length + Girth150 lbs.108 inches165 inches*There is technically no maximum weight/dims listed on Amazon FBA’s info; this is the max before you hit the “special oversize” tier. Amazon FBA doesn’t appear to set a technical maximum. There is a point, however, when your package will enter the “special oversize” tier – which translates to astronomical FBA fees that start at $75.78 for 90 lbs and go up per lb from there. Fulfillment Fee Comparisons: WFS vs FBA Deciphering Amazon FBA fees feels like translating ancient Latin texts, while Walmart’s WFS fees by comparison feel like reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar. As an Amazon seller, understanding the latter will be a breeze. Again, Walmart’s e-commerce marketplace is keeping it simple. Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) fulfillment fees: WeightCost per UnitLess than or = 1 lb$3.45Less than or = 2 lbs$4.95Less than or = 3 lbs$5.45Less than or = 4 lbs, and up to 20 lbs$5.75 + $0.40/additional lbGreater than 20 lbs (up to 30 lbs max)Add $3.00 to the above fee For units over 1 lb, use the greater of unit weight or dimensional weight.Dimensional weight = length x width x height, all divided by 139.Add 0.25 lbs (4 oz) to the shipping weight of your product, to account for packaging materials Walmart will add during fulfillment. Example item #1: Unit weight: 6.00 lbsDimensions: 12 x 10 x 10 inchesDimensional weight: (12 x 10 x 10)/139 = 8.63 lbs (greater value than unit weight)Shipment weight: 8.63 lbs + 0.25 lb packaging materials = 8.88 lbsRounded up: 9.00 lbsFulfillment fee: $5.75 + 5($0.40)$5.75 for the first 4 lbs, then +$0.40/lb above 4 lbs; in this case 5 additional lbs.Total shipment weight is 9.00 lbs, so: $5.75 + 5($0.40)$5.75 + $2.00Total fulfillment fee: $7.75 Example item #2: Unit weight: 2.75 lbsDimensions: 5 x 5 x 5 inchesDimensional weight: (5 x 5 x 5)/139 = 0.90 lbs (lesser value than unit weight)Shipment weight: 2.75 lbs + 0.25 lb packaging materials = 3.00 lbsTotal fulfillment fee: $5.45 Example item #3: Unit weight: 20.0 lbsDimensions: 12 x 10 x 12Dimensional weight: (12 x 10 x 12)/139 = 10.4 lbs (lesser value than unit weight)Shipment weight: 20.0 lbs + 0.25 lb = 20.25 lbsRounded up: 21.00 lbsFulfillment fee: $5.75 + 17($0.45) + $3.00$5.75 for the first 4 lbs, then +$0.40/lb above 4 lbs; in this case, 17 additional lbs, +$3.00 surcharge for shipment weights above 20 lbsTotal fulfillment fee: $16.40 Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Fulfillment Fees (Non-Apparel): (To keep it simple I’m excluding “special oversize,” “small and light categories,” and apparel category fees, which can be viewed here.) Size TierMax DimensionsUnit WeightCost per UnitSmall Standard15 x 12 x 0.75 inches10 oz. or less$2.5010+ oz. to 16 oz.$2.63Large Standard18 x 14 x 8 inches10 oz. or less$3.3110+ to 16 oz.$3.481 to 2 lbs$4.902 to 3 lbs$5.423 to 21 lbs$5.42 + $0.38/lb above first 3 lbSmall Oversize60 x 30 inches71 lbs or less$8.26 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lbMedium Oversize**108 inches (longest side)151 lbs or less$11.37 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lbLarge Oversize***108 inches (longest side)151 lbs or less$75.78 + $0.79/lb above first 90 lb**Medium oversize length + girth max is 130 inches***Large oversize length + girth max is 165 inches Add 4 oz. to standard category products to calculate the final shipping weightAdd 1 lb to oversize category products to calculate the final shipping weightAdd $0.11/unit for items with lithium batteriesFor standard size tier products over 1 lb, or for all oversize tier products, use the greater unit weight or dimensional weightDimensional weight = length x width x height, all divided by 139. Using the same example items from the WFS examples above: Example item #1: Unit weight: 6.00 lbsDimensions: 12 x 10 x 10 inchesSmall oversize categoryDimensional weight: (12 x 10 x 10)/139 = 8.63 lbs (greater value than unit weight)Shipment weight: 8.63 lbs + 1.00 lb packaging materials = 9.63 lbsRounded up: 10.0 lbsFulfillment fee: $8.26 + 8($0.38)$8.26 for first 2 lbs, then +$0.38/lb above 2.00 lbs; in this case, 8.00 additional lbs.Total shipment weight is 10.0 lbs, so $8.26 + 8($0.38)Total fulfillment fee: $11.30 Example item #2: Unit weight: 2.75 lbsDimensions: 5 x 5 x 5 inchesLarge standard categoryShipment weight: 2.75 lbs + 0.25 lb packaging materials = 3.00 lbsTotal fulfillment fee: $5.42 Example item #3: Unit weight: 20.0 lbsDimensions: 12 x 10 x 12Small oversize categoryDimensional weight: (12 x 10 x 12)/139 = 10.4 lbs (lesser value than unit weight)Shipment weight: 20.0 lbs + 1.00 lb packaging materials = 21.0 lbsFulfillment fee: $8.26 + 19($0.38)$8.26 for first 2 lbs, then +$0.38/lb above 2.00 lbs; in this case, 19.0 additional lbs.Total shipment weight is 21.0 lbs, so $8.26 + 19($0.38)Total fulfillment fee: $15.51 Example Product Fulfillment Fee Comparison: Example PackageUnit Weight (before packaging)Unit DimensionsWalmart WFS Fulfillment FeesAmazon FBA Fulfillment FeesExample #16.00 lbs12 x 10 x 10 inches$7.75$11.30Example #22.75 lbs5 x 5 x 5 inches$5.45$5.42Example #320.0 lbs12 x 10 x 12 inches$16.40$15.51 In example 2, the difference in fees is almost negligible; in example 3, there is a noticeable difference of almost a dollar. In example 1, however, there is a major difference with WFS’ fee being significantly lower, mainly because example 1 fell into the “oversize” category for Amazon FBA. While Walmart WFS considered the dimensional weight for example 1 since the dimensional weight was higher, Amazon FBA’s weight tier structure made it much more expensive. These are only three examples, of course, hence the importance of calculating your potential fees based on your product’s specific size and weight. Storage Fee Comparisons: WFS vs. FBA: A possibly-overlooked difference between the two platforms is storage fees. Walmart charges the same storage fees as Amazon does from Q1 through Q3, and less than Amazon does during Q4. See below. Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) Storage Fees: Time PeriodCostJanuary – September (Q1 – Q3)$0.75/cubic foot per monthOctober – December (Q4)$0.75/cubic foot per month for items stored less than 30 daysAdd $1.50/cubic foot per month (total: $2.25/cubic foot per month) for items stored for more than 30 days Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Storage Fees: Time PeriodStandard Size CostOversize CostJanuary – September (Q1 – Q3)$0.75/cubic foot per month$0.48/cubic foot per monthOctober – December (Q4)$2.40/cubic foot per month$1.20/cubic foot per month Oversized items get a lower charge per cubic foot, but theoretically take up more space per unit anyway, so storage costs may balance out via FBA. Again, you’ll need to calculate your specific product’s dimensions. Q4 is where the largest difference in fees lives. Assuming your sell-through rate is good and your inventory doesn’t sit for more than 30 days during Q4, Walmart charges significantly lower storage fees during Q4 compared to Amazon. A Note About Supply Chain Logistics Product shipments sent to Walmart fulfillment centers to be sold via WFS must originate from within the US. Therefore, you cannot ship directly from an overseas supplier to a Walmart fulfillment center. For those of you who might save on costs by shipping directly to fulfillment centers from an overseas supplier, you may wish to consider the implications this may have on your bottom line if you are required to ship to a Walmart fulfillment center from a domestic 3PL instead. The Verdict? Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all advice here; since the rules on fees (especially fulfillment fees) are unique, you’ll have to compare your own product stats against each platform. Our aim here is to summarize this information and provide examples so that you can make informed decisions on your potential costs between FBA and WFS. If you happen to be selling on Walmart Marketplace, whether through self-fulfillment or through Walmart Fulfillment Service, how has your experience been? Feel free to share in the comments or in our Facebook group. And as always, keep #CrushingIt! Frequently Asked Questions How long does it take to get approved to sell on Walmart?If you have all the necessary documents, it should take 10-15 minutes to submit your application. It could be a few days to several weeks before you hear back from Walmart on the status of your application. If something is missing or incorrect on your application, Walmart will inform you. How competitive is selling on Walmart Marketplace?When comparing to Amazon, it is significantly less competitive. This is due to the fact that there are over 2 million sellers on Amazon, compared to between 100-150k sellers on Walmart. There are much less sellers on Walmart currently as you have to already be an established seller on another e-commerce marketplace. Does Walmart have branded storefronts like Amazon?There are no seller brand stores, but sellers do get a profile page to display their information, reviews, ratings and policies. There are a few “Brand Shops”, but those are for major brands like Google, Disney, Apple etc. How does Walmart assess seller performance?On a bi-weekly basis, Walmart assesses if sellers meet certain standards to ensure the quality of Walmart Marketplace sellers remain high. These standards include, on-time shipment rate, valid tracking rate, and order defect rate. If you do not meet the standards for each of these, Walmart could decide to suspend your Walmart seller account. Published in: BlogHow to Sell on Amazon FBAOutside Marketplaces Share: URL copied Share: Published in: BlogHow to Sell on Amazon FBAOutside Marketplaces Thought Leadership, Tips, and Tricks Never miss insights into the Amazon selling space by signing up for our email list! Subscribe Achieve More Results in Less Time Accelerate the Growth of Your Business, Brand or Agency Maximize your results and drive success faster with Helium 10’s full suite of Amazon and Walmart solutions. Get Started