7 Things To Learn From Walmart’s Affiliate Program: A Guide For Businesses And Affiliates

“People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy,” said Oliver Goldsmith once. While he wasn’t exactly talking about affiliate marketing (or was he?), the quote fits perfectly with any affiliate campaign. When it comes to creating an affiliate marketing program, businesses often find themselves drowning in playbooks, guides, and tutorials. But really, all you need is to study real-life examples of successful affiliate marketing programs.

Now, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “Walmart”? Probably competitive prices, a vast selection of products, or maybe their intricate business model that’s taken the New World by storm.

But there’s one more thing Walmart is famous for – its affiliate program. There are two affiliate programs that have been running since the 90s and still stand out. The more geeky among you already know that these are Amazon and Walmart’s affiliate programs. Today, we’re taking a closer look at the latter to see what insights you can borrow from it (spoiler: there are way too many to miss).

How Walmart Became THE Giant of the Affiliate World

Once upon a time, Walmart was already a big name in the world of retail. But calling it just “established” is probably an understatement. Walmart has been around since 1962; it went nationwide in the 70s, and by the 90s, it had become the top retailer in the U.S.

To get a sense of just how famous and iconic this company is in the U.S., consider this simple fact – South Park dedicated an entire episode to them!

So, why would such a retail giant need to expand even more? Greed? Nah. It was 1996, and the world was slowly but surely moving online. With Walmart stores already everywhere, the challenge was figuring out how to bring the familiarity of a local store to life on a flat, two-dimensional screen. How do you even transform such a massive physical presence into an equally dominant digital one?

The answer might surprise you – trust. To become a giant in this entirely different realm, you need people to believe in you. After all, trust was one of the key reasons Walmart succeeded in the first place.

But in the virtual world, trust works a little differently. Word of mouth is… okay. But to really believe in what they hear, people need more. When it comes to affiliate marketing (as we know it today), trust is the main currency for bloggers, influencers, and content creators. Walmart (and Amazon, as you already know) were the first big players in the affiliate market. Thirty years later, they’re still leading the way.

What Makes the Walmart Affiliate Program So Unique?

You might be wondering, what’s so special about the Walmart affiliate program? After all, affiliate marketing isn’t new, and plenty of companies offer similar programs. But Walmart brought something to the table that others couldn’t match – scale. That’s what makes it such a powerhouse in the world of affiliate marketing.

With millions of products across virtually every category, affiliates can find something to promote, no matter their niche. Probably only Amazon can wrestle with Walmart on this level. Whether you run a tech blog, a parenting site, or a fashion Instagram account, Walmart has a product that fits your target audience perfectly.

Walmart Affiliate Program: A Teardown

So, how does Walmart’s affiliate program work? Why is it so successful, and why can only Amazon’s affiliate program compete with it? Let’s break it down!

First off, the Walmart affiliate program is easy to join – affiliate membership is free, and you get access to all the creative resources. As a Walmart affiliate, you also benefit from:

• Access to Walmart’s Everyday Low Prices
• Competitive commission rates
• A personalized data feed with top-selling and exclusive products
• Extra opportunities to earn more commissions
• Support from a dedicated team to help grow your sales

While the entry point is simple, it’s also highly targeted. To be eligible for the Walmart program:

• You need to have an active website or social media account.
• Your site should primarily target a U.S. audience.
• Your content should be helpful and offer value to your visitors.
• The website must be family-friendly and follow ethical requirements, so no illegal, offensive, or sexually explicit material.

This is a smart approach. The Walmart team reviews your social media channels and checks if you have an established website – in other words, your media properties. You can’t say the Walmart affiliate program requirements are strict or anything. No, they just know who they want to become a Walmart affiliate and select content creators accordingly.

The application form consists of three sections: user information, company information, and promotion and media. So, you’ll only need to enter your personal and business information to move forward – easy.

Once you get through the approval process, you can start creating engaging content and hunting for those site clicks and affiliate link purchases. 

If you want to promote Walmart products, there’s nothing you can’t find. Here are just three categories out of many more:

Like other affiliate programs, the Walmart affiliate program lets you earn money for every successful sale. Affiliates can generate specific text links to any product on Walmart and promote it to people who already trust the Walmart brand or might come to trust it later.

The Walmart affiliate program uses a simple interface, thanks to its partnership with Rakuten, allowing affiliate marketers to track sales and other key metrics easily. As a Walmart affiliate, you’ll receive special text links and banner ads, all included in your affiliate newsletter. You’ll also have access to:

• Text links to specific Walmart.com pages, including department, category, or product pages.
• Dynamic Rich Media links to make your promotions even more engaging.
• A WordPress plugin / Chrome extension to streamline your efforts.

How Much Do Affiliates Earn for Each Sale Through Their Affiliate Link?

That’s the big question every content creator asks. Walmart offers its affiliates up to 4% on each sale – not a huge amount, right? But that doesn’t make the Walmart affiliate program any less popular. Why? Because Walmart is all about the volume of sales it can offer its affiliate partners. Plus, affiliates have opportunities to boost their earnings through occasional sales contests and other events.

Keep in mind that commissions are paid on monthly net sales, and sales tax isn’t included in commissions. If any Walmart products are returned, the commission will be deducted from your bank account. The first payout usually arrives one month after signing up, provided there are qualifying sales.

There are also ethical guidelines to follow, which help establish clear boundaries for creating compelling content and beyond.

Top Tactics to Steal Borrow From Walmart for Businesses

If you think about it, the Walmart affiliate program stands out as a prime example of how to do it right. So, why not take advantage of it? Let’s dive into their key tactics and the reasons behind their roaring success.

#1 Wide Product Range 

Walmart’s greatest strength lies in its extensive product range. Affiliates can promote almost anything under the sun.

💡 What to borrow: Diversification. The more you have to offer, the more affiliates you can attract, which strengthens your affiliate program.

🤔 What if your business operates on a smaller scale (which it likely does)? Sure, there are limits to diversification. But you can partner with other businesses. If you can’t stock everything yourself, collaborate with suppliers to offer a wider range of products.

#2 Competitive Commission Structure

Affiliates aren’t promoting products just for fun – they’re in it for the commission. Sometimes, businesses forget that! Walmart has introduced a commission structure that keeps affiliates motivated. While the percentage might not be the highest on the market, the sheer volume of sales makes up for it.

This balance between commission rates and sales volume ensures affiliates feel valued and rewarded. Interestingly, Amazon affiliate programs also don’t promise its affiliates they’ll be swimming in gold like Scrooge McDuck. But it works because it’s competitive.

💡 What to borrow: Fair and transparent commission structures. 

🤔 For smaller businesses: If you can’t offer higher commission rates, consider performance bonuses or tiered incentives. Recognize and reward your top performers to keep them engaged and loyal to your program – motivate them to achieve even more. Here’s how different incentive structures work:

#3 Make It Exclusive

Let’s take a look at this picture first: 

From one point of view, this is a necessary package: affiliate tools like marketing materials simply have to be included in any affiliate program. But Walmart affiliates get more than just the basics – they gain support and a sense of community. They not only receive everything needed to start promoting Walmart products but also an affiliate newsletter with tips and materials to maximize their results.

💡 What to borrow: EVERYTHING. This won’t significantly impact your budget, but adding it will encourage people to promote products with that crucial sense of belonging – or at least a sense of care. And if you think about it, those feelings are invaluable.

#4 A Simple as ABC Interface

One of the key strengths of Walmart affiliate program is how easy it is for affiliates to create affiliate links and integrate them into their content. Walmart provides tools and resources that make the process smooth and efficient. At the end of the day, the easier it is for affiliates to promote your products, the more likely they are to do so.

💡 What to borrow: User-friendly tools and support. Invest in making your affiliate program as easy to use as possible. Does it need to be advanced? Then make it no-learning-required. Whether it’s providing a simple dashboard, clear instructions, or responsive customer support, the smoother the experience for your affiliates, the better.

#5 Frequent Promotions

Walmart frequently runs promotions and discounts, which are a huge advantage for affiliates. While the basic rules of an affiliate partnership are enough to get affiliates started, these additional Walmart offers create a sense of urgency and excitement, making it easier for affiliates to drive conversions.

💡 What to borrow: Keep your affiliate offers fresh with regular promotions and discounts. This not only boosts sales but also keeps affiliates engaged and excited about promoting your products. The more promotions and discounts you offer, the more quality content you’ll receive.

🤔 For smaller businesses: Even if you can’t run large-scale promotions, smaller discounts or exclusive offers for affiliate-driven sales can still be effective. The key is to maintain momentum with fresh and appealing deals. This way, your affiliate links will get clicked way more often. Nice, isn’t it?

#6 Give Them a Dashboard

Who needs analytics data these days? Everyone. Literally everyone. Especially if you’re involved in any form of marketing. And even more so if you have an affiliate program or participate in one. Walmart allows its affiliates to gain access to a dashboard that offers all the data feeds and stats they need. Every Walmart affiliate can see who clicked on their links, when they clicked, and how their campaigns are performing overall.

💡 What to borrow: Make analytics accessible. When affiliates have access to real-time stats, they can adjust their strategies on the fly, optimizing their campaigns for better results. Who wins in the end? Right, both of you!

#7 Give Freedom in Promotion

Walmart doesn’t restrict its affiliates to just one way of promoting Walmart products. Instead, it gives them the flexibility to use various marketing channels – whether it’s blogs, social media, or email marketing. This freedom allows affiliates to choose the methods that work best for their audience.

Sure, there are some guidelines to follow, but that’s just common sense. The Walmart website never restricts you from using a particular medium to promote the Walmart store products.

💡 What to borrow: Offer flexibility in the promotional methods of your affiliate program. Encourage your affiliates to get creative with how they advertise your products. Affordable prices are great, but without website visitors, your affiliate program won’t succeed. The more creative your affiliates are, the more likely their unique tracking links will get hits.

8 Things Affiliates Can Learn From Walmart Affiliate Program   

If you think the Walmart affiliate program is a beast, you’re probably right. But as an affiliate marketer, you should use what you can learn from Walmart affiliate program to your advantage. How?

Instead of walking you through how to sign up for the Walmart affiliate program (because let’s be honest, that’s Affiliate Marketing 101), we’ll focus on what really matters – the variety of options it offers and how you can leverage its massive scale for your future affiliate success.

1️⃣ Not Everyone Should Be on Your Guest List (And That’s Okay)

The first thing most people will tell you, based on Walmart’s affiliate program, is to promote a variety of products to appeal to different audiences. We’re not going to do that.

First of all, the one-size-fits-all approach is outdated. You can’t sell a little bit of everything and expect to win over everyone. The internet is full of niche communities, each with its own unique quirks and needs. Instead of trying to cast a wide net, focus on a specific audience and tailor your promotions to them.

Let’s face it, the days of being a jack-of-all-trades are over. People want personalized recommendations, not a random grab bag of goods. You probably do, too. By honing in on a particular niche, you can build trust and credibility with your audience. Plus, you’ll likely see better conversion rates because your promotions are more relevant to the people you’re targeting.

2️⃣ Think Beyond Commissions – Look at Sales Volume Too

Not only Walmart’s but also Amazon’s affiliate program shows us that even if commissions are lower, a high volume of sales can make it worthwhile. So, before jumping into any affiliate program, do your calculations and consider the popularity of the brand you’re about to collaborate with.

3️⃣ Go For Flexible Affiliate Marketing Efforts

Use different marketing channels to reach your audience, but choose them wisely. It’s a good idea to focus on your primary channel, but why not experiment a bit? Who knows, maybe you’ll discover your next big thing. And remember, you can also use special offers and discounts to drive conversions – it’s not just limited to brands.

4️⃣ If There’s a Support Team, Check In With Them 

Affiliate programs can feel like a maze at first. We get it – who knows all the rules and requirements from the start, anyway? But don’t feel too overwhelmed. Your main task is promotion, and if you choose a great brand, they’ll help you succeed. So, if there are program managers, stay in touch with them to make the most out of your partnership.

5️⃣ Pay Attention to the Cookie Duration 

Know how long you have to earn commissions and tailor your strategy accordingly. Here’s our advice – look for an affiliate program with cookieless transactions. Why? Because even if a user buys much later after visiting from your link, you’ll still get your reward. 

6️⃣ Make Sure You Can Trust the Brand

Partner with well-known brands to boost your credibility and conversion rates, or just ensure they have a trusted reputation. If not, reconsider whether working with that brand is worth it.

7️⃣ Prioritize Payment Stability Over Chasing Big Checks

Choose programs that offer clear and consistent payouts. Is it a direct deposit? Are affiliate sales going well, but you still haven’t received any payments? Check the payment rules and think if they suit you. 

For instance, whenever someone who visits your site clicks on a Walmart link and then purchases the product from the Walmart store, it counts as a qualifying purchase for you. After that, your account will be credited with a successful sale, and you’ll get your commission. 

8️⃣ Even If You’re Global, Act Local

Walmart is a global brand, but they’ve mastered the art of local relevance. That’s one of the biggest secrets to the success of the Walmart affiliate program. It’s not only a smart strategy for any brand and affiliate program but also a good practice for any affiliate marketer. What does it mean? Tailor your strategies to local audiences and target them.

Conclusion 

The Walmart affiliate program offers more than most – its unmatched scale. But that doesn’t mean you have to aim for the same heights. People want to promote Walmart products not just because it’s big, but because it’s a smartly designed affiliate program. Follow that example, and you’ll see great results faster than you might expect. Cheers!