Walmart Marketplace measures every seller against a set of performance standards, and falling short can mean anything from a warning email to having your listings unpublished. Here are the metrics Walmart is actually tracking, the newest one added to the list, and what wholesale buyers specifically can do to keep their score healthy.
The Performance Metrics Walmart Tracks
Based on Walmart’s current seller performance standards, sellers are measured on a rolling basis across:
- Cancellation Rate: target 2% or below, measured over a rolling 30 days.
- On-Time Delivery Rate: target 90% or above, rolling 30 days.
- Valid Tracking Rate: target 99% or above, rolling 30 days.
- Seller Response Rate: target 95% or above, rolling 30 days.
- Return Rate and Item Not Received Rate: both actively monitored, rolling 30 days.
- Negative Feedback Rate: target 2% or below, measured over a rolling 60 days.
Negative Feedback Rate: The Newest Metric to Watch
Negative Feedback Rate (NFR) is the newer addition to Walmart’s standards – it tracks the percentage of orders that receive a 1- or 2-star rating over a trailing 60-day window, out of total unique items sold in that period. Unlike delivery or tracking metrics, NFR reflects product quality and the actual customer experience with the item itself, and it applies whether you fulfill the order yourself or use Walmart Fulfillment Services – because it’s about the product, not the shipping.
That makes NFR especially relevant if you’re a wholesale buyer: a bad batch, a counterfeit item that slipped through, or a supplier substituting a lower-quality version of a product can show up directly as negative reviews and drag this number down, even if your fulfillment operations are flawless.
What Happens If You Fall Below Standard
Walmart generally uses a staged approach when a seller’s numbers slip:
- Warning: notification via email and Seller Center identifying which metric(s) fell short.
- Listing suppression: Walmart can unpublish seller-fulfilled listings tied to the affected SKUs.
- Account suspension: continued non-compliance can lead to a full account suspension, though sellers can appeal by submitting a Plan of Action explaining the cause and corrective steps.
How Wholesale Buyers Can Protect Their Score
Since Negative Feedback Rate is driven by product quality rather than logistics, the sourcing side of your business matters as much as fulfillment speed:
- Buy from suppliers you’ve actually vetted – our distributor reputation check guide covers what to verify before you place a bulk order.
- Watch for the warning signs of counterfeit or substituted product, which is one of the fastest ways to rack up 1- and 2-star reviews – see our guide to spotting counterfeit wholesale products.
- If you’re sourcing the same catalog across Amazon, eBay, and Walmart, keep in mind each platform scores product-quality signals differently – our cross-platform wholesale purchasing guide covers the differences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Negative Feedback Rate on Walmart Marketplace?
Walmart’s guidance points to keeping Negative Feedback Rate at 2% or below over a rolling 60-day window to avoid account issues.
Does Negative Feedback Rate apply to orders fulfilled by Walmart?
Yes. Because it measures product-quality-driven ratings rather than shipping performance, it applies to orders regardless of who fulfills them.
What happens if my account falls below Walmart’s performance standards?
Walmart generally follows a staged response: a warning notification, then possible suppression of the affected listings, and ultimately account suspension for continued non-compliance – with an appeals process available through a Plan of Action.
How can wholesale buyers reduce their risk of negative feedback?
Since NFR reflects product quality, vetting your supplier’s reputation and watching for counterfeit or substituted goods before you list them matters as much as fast, accurate shipping.
Related reading: Walmart Marketplace’s 2026 New-Seller Savings | Wholesale Purchasing for Amazon, eBay & Walmart Resellers | How to Vet a Wholesale Distributor’s Online Reputation | Amazon’s New Multichannel Tools: What It Means for You
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