Walmart will accept third-party returns
Starting this holiday season, shoppers on Walmart.com will get some of the same perks whether they are buying from a third-party seller or the retail giant itself.
Beginning in November, millions more products sold by sellers other than Walmart will become eligible for free two-day shipping as long as shoppers spend at least $35.
And for the first time, Walmart.com shoppers will also be able to return eligible items purchased from a third party to a Walmart store. That will kick off in mid-November.
“With 90 percent of Americans living within 10 miles of a Walmart store, we think this is going to be a real gamechanger for our customers,” Scott Hilton, chief revenue officer for Walmart eCommerce U.S., said in a blog post.
Currently, customers are able to print a return label they retrieve through their Walmart account and then send the package off to the thirdparty seller. The changes are a way for Walmart to ramp up convenience at a time when shoppers have grown used to Amazon dropping virtually any item they want at their front door.
To better compete with the e-commerce giant, Walmart has polished its online shopping experience, scooped up premium niche sites and partnered with upscale retailer Lord & Taylor to attract a more fashion-conscious customer.