Walmart seeks UK sellers for its online marketplace

WALMART is seeking UK retailers to join its online marketplace in an attempt to give British businesses another e-commerce alternative to Amazon and EBay.

Approved British sellers will be able to sell their goods on Walmart.com, which is visited by more than 120 million people every month, the US shopping giant said in a statement Monday (Jun 13). In a bid to attract sellers, Walmart is offering a 2-day shipping service within the US, once the goods are already stored in its warehouses, during non-peak times and access to other services to help them generate sales across the Atlantic.

Walmart is hosting a UK Sellers Summit in London on Friday and said manufacturers and exporters from an array of sectors, including fashion, sporting goods, beauty and entertainment, have been invited.

UK companies already on Walmart's marketplace include wearable technology firm Statsports, home and garden products seller BuyBox, sporting equipment company Nodor and generalist retailer Pertemba.

Walmart has a long history with UK retail and for years owned Asda, Britain's third-largest grocer, before selling most of its holding to a consortium led by the Issa brothers over a year ago. The latest move to target British exporters comes as the UK government seeks to help businesses reach £1 trillion (S$1.7 trillion) in exports by 2030 by focusing on non-EU markets such as the US, Australia, Canada or Japan. BLOOMBERG