WFS Routing Guide
WFS Routing Guide
Services (WFS)
Routing Guide
August 2022
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
Introduction
Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) provides customers a best-in-class fulfillment services
experience. We leverage Walmart’s supply chain scale and world-class operational excellence
to enable our seller community to lower fulfillment costs, improve conversion rates, and price
items more competitively, improving sales and ROI.
In this guide, you’ll find instructions to successfully ship your standard (sortable) and oversize
(non-sortable) items to a Walmart fulfillment center. Download this PDF and select the table of
contents to navigate directly to each section. For how-to articles and additional resources, log
into Seller Help.
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The contents of this document are subject to change may contain confidential and/or
privileged information and may be legally protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, you are
hereby notified that any use, dissemination, copying, or storage of this document is strictly prohibited.
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
Table of Contents
WFS Fulfillment Centers ......................................................................................................... 5
Standard-Size Items ................................................................................................................................... 5
Heavy & Oversize Items............................................................................................................................. 7
General Seller Guidelines ....................................................................................................... 8
Product Packaging and Labeling Requirements ...................................................................... 9
Product Barcodes and Labels .................................................................................................................... 9
Product Packaging Guidelines ................................................................................................................... 9
Polybagged Units ..................................................................................................................................... 10
Expiration Dates ...................................................................................................................................... 10
Dunnage .................................................................................................................................................. 11
Packaging by Product Type...................................................................................................................... 11
Large Electronics (Computers, TVs, and Monitors) ................................................................................. 14
Liquids...................................................................................................................................................... 15
Sharp Items .............................................................................................................................................. 16
Glass, Ceramic, Breakable, and Fragile ................................................................................................... 17
Loose Products ........................................................................................................................................ 18
Sold as Set................................................................................................................................................ 18
Batteries .................................................................................................................................................. 18
Hazardous Materials ........................................................................................................... 19
Preparing Shipments ........................................................................................................... 20
Containers and Boxes .............................................................................................................................. 20
Single Pallets ............................................................................................................................................ 21
Stacked Pallets......................................................................................................................................... 22
Labeling Requirements ........................................................................................................ 22
Shipment Labels ...................................................................................................................................... 22
Pallet Label Requirements....................................................................................................................... 23
Special Pallet Label Requirements for Product Types ............................................................................. 24
Shipping Items to WFS ......................................................................................................... 24
Routing Instructions ................................................................................................................................ 24
Scheduling Appointments ....................................................................................................................... 24
Direct Imports.......................................................................................................................................... 25
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
Documentation.................................................................................................................... 26
Bill of Lading ............................................................................................................................................ 26
Packing List .............................................................................................................................................. 27
Receiving ............................................................................................................................. 28
Damaged Items........................................................................................................................................ 28
Refused Shipments .............................................................................................................. 29
Return to Vendor (RTV) ........................................................................................................................... 29
Exit, Recall, or Liquidation of Product ..................................................................................................... 29
Resolving Problem Inventory .................................................................................................................. 30
Dispute Policy and General Guidelines ................................................................................. 30
Short-Ship & Missing Inventory............................................................................................................... 30
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
Please ship items only to the fulfillment center assigned to your inbound order in Seller Center. At this time,
we can’t accommodate requests for a specific fulfillment center. Items shipped to an incorrect location will
be routed to the assigned fulfillment center at your expense.
Standard-Size Items
Your item is standard size (or sortable) if it’s < 30 lb. with a maximum dimension ≤ 25 inches, a median
dimension ≤ 20 inches, and a minimum dimension ≤ 14 inches.
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
Operating Hours
Monday–Friday: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. ET
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Delivery Hours
Saturday & Sunday: 8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m. ET
To Schedule a Delivery
Email [email protected]
To Schedule a Delivery
Email [email protected]
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
• WFS accepts items up to 150 lb., 108" in length, and 165" in length + girth.
• Items must be acceptable in the WFS program. See WFS Prohibited Products and Marketplace
Prohibited Products Policy for details.
• Ship the product to the assigned fulfillment center listed in Seller Center. Do not send shipments to
the Walmart corporate billing address.
• Items that have been properly packed and labeled will be checked in within two business days. WFS
may experience delays during holidays and peak months, but we’ll strive to meet the same timelines.
• Failure to prep and pack inventory according to WFS packaging guidelines may result in processing
delays, products being rejected, or returns at your expense. To avoid unplanned prep, you can use
our Prep Services program to outsource polybagging and labeling to WFS for a small fee.
• Less-than truckload (LTL) and full truckload (FTL) freight should be sent as single shipments.
• WFS currently offers discounted inbound shipping rates for small parcels and LTL shipments when
you use our Preferred Carrier Program.
• Walmart may inspect products after arrival at the fulfillment center.
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
• WFS reserves the right to refuse any trailer that’s deemed unsafe, infested, damaged, or otherwise
deemed unfit to receive.
We charge an unplanned prep fee for inbound items that don’t meet WFS requirements (e.g., incorrect or
missing labels). This fee covers labor and material costs to correct your items. To avoid unplanned fees and
prepare items in a cost-effective way, take advantage of our Prep Services program.
Example of correct product label Do not use vendor SKU or FNSKU label
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• All products must be protected in a sealed or closed container, ready for sale.
• All required hazard warnings must be clearly visible and apparent on all polybags used.
• All perishable goods must contain visible expiration dates on sellable unit packaging. (See Expiration
Dates below.)
• Price tags, product labels, or any retailer-specific labels should not be on the product packaging.
• Items received in ship-as-is (SAI) packaging that’s damaged will be over-boxed at the discretion of
the fulfillment center.
• All products must be clearly and permanently marked with the country of origin. The label must be
where it can be seen while casually handling the item. Where the label goes depends on the item:
• For clothing, a label stating “Made in . . .” qualifies.
• For shoes, the country-of-origin label must physically be on both shoes in the pair. Simply
having the country of origin on the website or on a shoebox is not enough.
• For some items, the country-of-origin label may go on the outer packaging.
• Packaging inserts and other forms of marketing materials are acceptable if they don’t advertise
competing services.
Polybagged Units
Polybags with a 5-inch opening or larger must have a suffocation warning, either printed on the bag or
attached as a label.
• The warning should be printed or placed in a visible location and in a legible font size for the size of
the bag.
• The thickness of the bag must be at least 1.5 mm.
• The polybag must be completely sealed.
• The polybag must have a barcode scannable through the bag or on the outside of the bag.
Expiration Dates
• Expiration dates must be displayed in the format MM-DD-YYYY. If you don’t know the exact date, use
the last day of the expiration month.
• If the expiration date is printed in a different format, apply a sticker with the correct format, covering
the original expiration date.
• For perishable products contained in packaging that requires additional prep, such as glass jars or
bottles, make sure the expiration date is accessible when it’s received by the fulfillment center.
• WFS cannot accept perishable items requiring temperature control. (For example, ice cream that
needs to be kept in a freezer or chocolates that require storage in a cool constant temperature to
avoid melting.)
• To make sure that customers receive items with a long shelf life, we reject or remove inventory
that’s about to expire:
Items with expiration dates Won’t be received if item expires Will be removed from inventory if
within . . . item expires within . . .
All items with expiration dates 60 days 30 days
(e.g., food, health and beauty, pet
supplements, etc.)
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Dunnage
Some product types should be shipped with packing materials to prevent damage. See the Packaging by
Product Type section for more detail.
Packaging
Product Type Products Special Handling
Type
Product outer packaging must
Sunglasses Boxes have UPCs and be individually
packaged.
Accessories
Product outer packaging must
Product must be shipped within its case and Boxes or
Jewelry have UPCs and be individually
assembled prior to shipping. Case must be polybags
packaged.
sealed with tamper-evident security seal.
Product outer packaging must
Watches Boxes have UPCs and be individually
packaged.
Shirts, Tops, Pants,
Bottoms, Shorts, Jeans, Folded to not exceed 17.5” length
Skirts, Polybags x 11.5” widths and bagged. Do not
Underwear/Intimates, use hangers.
Casual Dresses
Apparel/Clothing Sets must be packaged together.
Product should be folded neatly with Swimwear, Sleepwear Polybags
Do not use hangers.
adequate packaging. Kids’ apparel cannot be
packaged on hangers. Must be boxed and lie flat or
Formal Wear, Wedding, Boxes or
packed in garment bags on
Ball Gowns, Suits garment bags
hangers.
Oversize apparel to be folded at
Coats, Outerwear,
Polybags least once, on hangers, and poly
Blazers, Jackets
bagged.
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
Packaging
Product Type Products Special Handling
Type
Handbags, Diaper Bags,
Polybags
Backpacks, Bags
Boxes, Socks to be packaged in the unit
Socks, Hosiery, Gloves, chipboard amount as they are to be sold
Soft Goods & Bags
Belts, Scarves boxes, or (e.g., 2 pairs = 1 unit, 4 pairs = 1
Place additional layer of corrugated packing
polybags unit, etc.).
under opening of top and bottom seams.
Fragile hats must be packaged
Hats Sleeves individually in boxes to prevent
damage.
Electronics
To avoid damage, static-sensitive
Also see Large Electronics section. Electronic Static Devices Static-
devices should be packaged and
(ESD), such as memory protective
kept in their static-protective bags
cards for computers bags
until they’re installed.
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
Packaging
Product Type Products Special Handling
Type
Shoes Boxes
Footwear
Boots Boxes
Maximize product quantity packed per a
shipping carton. Sandals, Flip-Flops, Boxes or
Slippers polybags
Palletize heavy products (e.g.,
Cookware Boxes small kitchen appliances, ovens,
pots and pans, etc.).
Knives and utensil sets need to be
packaged together within their
sets. Wrap item(s) in protective
Cutlery Tools Boxes
bubble wrap or over-box to
prevent damage.
See Sharp Items section.
Palletize only glassware or
breakable products. Wrap item(s)
in protective bubble wrap or over-
Glassware Boxes
box to prevent damage.
See Glass, Ceramic, Breakable, and
Housewares & Home Goods
Fragile section.
Only heavy product should be palletized. Soft
goods should follow soft-good guidelines Boxes or
Bedding, Towels Sets must be packaged together.
above. polybags
Boxes,
chipboard
Aprons, Mitt Potholders See Soft Goods & Bags section.
boxes, or
polybags
Small Décor Boxes Sets must be packaged together.
Furniture Boxes Palletize heavy products.
Luggage Boxes Palletize heavy products.
Lamps/Lighting
Packaging must be durable and
Fixtures, Holiday Boxes
secure.
Ornaments
Boxes or Rugs must be rolled and bound in
Rugs, Framed Art
polybags polybags.
All golf clubs must be in protective
individual boxes that cover the
Sports Gear, Sports
Boxes shaft and head of the club.
Accessories
Outdoor/Indoor Sporting Goods & Gear Skateboards must be individually
boxed.
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
Packaging
Product Type Products Special Handling
Type
Balls, Basketballs, All balls must be inflated and
Boxes
Soccer Balls, Baseballs individually packaged.
Dog Gear Boxes
Product outer packaging must
Sports Medicine, have UPCs and be individually
Boxes
Vitamins, Energy Drinks packaged. Expiration date must be
visible on sellable unit packaging.
Shipping carton should not exceed
Camping Furniture Boxes
50 lb.
Boxes or Water bottles must be in sealed
Bottles
polybags polybags or individually boxed.
Toys Product must conform to the
Children’s Toys Boxes
CPSIA.
Under the U.S. Laws & Regulations Including,
Without Limitation the Consumer Product
Safety Improvement Act, a Certification of Strollers, Stroller Product must conform to the
Boxes
Conformity must be provided for each Accessories CPSIA.
product prior to shipment.
Original
Batteries manufacturer Product outer packaging must
Product must be shipped within its packaging packaging, have UPCs and be individually
to prevent battery terminals from coming into Batteries boxes, packaged.
contact with metals (including other polybags, or
batteries). clamshell See Batteries section.
plastics
• Place a paperboard frame inside the outer carton to suspend the manufacturer’s box in the middle
of the outer carton (as shown in below picture).
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
• Inside the manufacturer’s carton, we suggest using customized molds to secure the product (as
shown in below pictures). Rather than using Styrofoam for the customized molds, we recommend
foamed plastic.
• The entire item should be wrapped in either thick polyethylene sheets or bubble wrap.
• Additional protection such as foam sheets is required for monitors and TVs.
• Print arrows on the carton to indicate stacking and handling directions.
Liquids
Liquids (i.e., products that are or contain liquids, pastes, gels, and creams) must be packaged so that in the
normal course of order fulfillment (i.e., receipt, stocking, shipment preparation, and transit to the customer),
the product does not leak. Any liquids that pose a safety risk may be rejected by WFS and returned at your
expense.
Each sellable unit must be able to pass a drop test. A drop test means that a packaged item should be
dropped four consecutive times from a height of 24 inches onto a concrete surface: once on the top, once on
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the bottom, once on the bottom corner, once on the longest bottom edge. Each item must survive a single
test (four drops). A test is considered successful if the container remains leak-free.
Corrugated containers on single and multi-unit bundled products must meet the following criteria:
Sharp Items
These are any products that have a sharp or pointed edge such that, when exposed, the edge would present
a safety hazard to associates, carriers, or customers receiving or unpacking the product.
• Sharp products must be packaged so that in the normal course of order fulfillment (i.e., receipt,
stocking, shipment preparation, and transit to the customer), the sharp or pointed edge won’t
become exposed. Any sharp products that pose a safety risk may be rejected by WFS and returned at
your expense.
• Sharp items should be blister-packed in a manner that provides the safest packaging. The blister pack
must cover the sharp edge and be securely fastened to the item, so the item doesn’t slide around
within the blister pack.
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
• Place or wrap the unit in protective bubble wrap or a protective over-box so the packaging
completely covers any exposed edges. A product that’s over-boxed is placed in an additional box at
the time of shipping. Make sure the barcode is scannable without opening or unwrapping the unit.
• Sharp products secured to a footprint and wrapped in plastic may also be allowed, provided that the
item is secured to the footprint (i.e., does not slide around); the plastic is rigid enough to withstand
handling; and exterior contact doesn’t cause the sharp product to perforate the plastic.
o Sharp products contained in molded footprints with plastic covering are not typically safe
and not recommended.
• Cardboard or plastic sheaths alone on the sharp blade are not enough, unless the sheath is a rigid,
durable plastic and secured to the product so it can’t slide off.
• Sharp items should not be packaged or shipped with non-sharp items.
• Outer boxes with sharp items should be labeled as such.
Packaging Requirements:
• Items must come in a six-sided solid box, so the item is not exposed in any way.
• All items must be individually wrapped to prevent damage from other items within the container
(e.g., set of four wine glasses). Each sellable unit must be able to pass a drop test.
• A drop test means that a packaged item should be dropped five consecutive times from a
height of 36 inches onto a concrete surface: once on the top, once on the bottom, once on
the longest side, once on the bottom corner, once on the longest bottom edge. These tests
must not cause breakage or damage.
• Items should not move or shake within the container. Items should pass a vigorous shake test
without breaking.
• Outer boxes with glass, ceramic, breakable, and/or fragile items should be labeled accordingly.
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Loose Products
Each unit must be contained within a single, secure package.
• WFS won’t accept units that require assembly of multiple pieces by associates.
• Units that aren’t contained in secure packaging, like loose sleeves or pouches, must be bagged or
secured with a non-adhesive band or removable tape.
Sold as Set
Items that are sold as a set must be identified on their packaging. Units should contain a label clearly stating
the item should be received and sold as a single unit (i.e., “Sold as set”).
Batteries
One of the major with the transport of batteries and battery-powered equipment is a short circuit of the
battery due to the battery terminals coming into contact with other batteries, metal objects, or conductive
surfaces.
Packaged batteries or cells must be separated in such a way as to prevent short circuits and damage to
terminals. They must be packed in a strong outer packaging or be contained in equipment that can be stored
and prepared safely for shipment. Dunnage to prevent damage from normal movement of the box in
transportation is required.
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• Permitted packaging materials (rigid packaging): original manufacturer packaging, boxes, and
clamshell plastics.
• Each sellable unit must be able to pass a drop test.
o A drop test means that a packaged item should be dropped four consecutive times from a
height of 24 inches onto a concrete surface: once on the top, once on the bottom, once on
the bottom corner, once on the longest bottom edge. Each item must survive a single test
(four drops). A test is considered successful if the container remains leak-free.
• Batteries can be shipped with other non-battery items in the master carton if the batteries are
properly packaged to avoid contact with other products. A DOT label must be applied outside the
carton with a mixed SKUs marker/label.
• Multiple types of batteries can be packaged in the same carton as long as all types of hazmat labels
are on the same surface of the carton, not one on each side of the box. All batteries must be
separated in such a way as to prevent short circuits and damage to terminals.
• If multi-pack batteries are sealed in the original manufacturer packaging, no additional boxing or
sealing of batteries is required. If the batteries are repackaged, then sealed boxes or sealed hard,
plastic clamshell packaging is required.
Battery Labeling:
• Cartons must be marked to meet DOT regulations. Cartons that are shipped to fulfillment
centers that do not comply with DOT regulations must be re-labeled, at your expense, before
shipping to customers.
• Markings cannot be obstructed or covered by any other labeling. Labels cannot be folded over
the edge of the shipping carton.
In addition, here are weight and piece restrictions per master carton for batteries:
Product Type Products
Lithium-Ion Loose & Entire shipping carton cannot weigh more than 60 lb. (ground/vessel); 1 per
Lithium-Metal Loose package/per shipment (air)
Battery weight greater than 11 lb. (ground & vessel) requires additional labels.
Lithium-Ion Contained in
Battery weight cannot exceed 11 lb. per package (air passenger). Battery
Equipment
weight cannot exceed 60 lb. (air cargo).
If button cell weight (ground and vessel) less than 11 lb., no label required. If
Lithium-Metal Contained in
over 11 lb., additional labeling is required. Battery weight cannot exceed 11
Equipment
lb. per package (air)
Hazardous Materials
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Make sure your items are not listed as WFS Prohibited Products.
In general, any products that contain chemicals, aerosols, or batteries must pass a Walmart compliance
review before they’re published on Walmart.com. Walmart defines common hazardous material categories
as follows.
Preparing Shipments
Below are the shipping and packaging requirements for small parcel, less-than truckload (LTL), and full
truckload (FTL) shipments.
Each box must weigh less than or equal to 50 lb., unless it contains a single unit that exceeds 50 lb. A box
containing a single oversize unit greater than 50 lb. requires “Team Lift” labels on the top and sides. If it
contains a single oversize unit greater than 100 lb., use “Mech. Lift” labels on the top and sides.
• Shippers, point-of-sale containers, and pallet-sized boxes (also known as "gaylords") may not be
used.
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Any container not meeting these requirements may be refused and returned to you, plus shipping costs.
Single Pallets
Small-parcel freight can arrive as floor loads. LTL and FTL shipments must arrive on pallets and meet the
requirements below. Failure to comply with these standards may result in shipments being rejected at your
expense.
• Use 40" x 48", four-way access, solid wood pallets. If a single, large unit cannot fit on a 40" x 48"
pallet without overhanging the edges, use a pallet size and type that is suitable for the unit.
• Pallet weight should not exceed 1,500 lb.
• Pallet height should not exceed 72 inches.
• Ship units on Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) Standard Grade A pallets.
The highest quality pallet is referred to as an “A” grade GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association).
GMA pallets have no stringer damage. The deck board configuration is typically seven top and five
bottom boards with specific lead board sizes.
• Ship only on pallets that are in good condition.
• Do not ship pallets that are broken or damaged.
• Do not ship units on pallets made of weak material such as cardboard or particle board.
• Pallets must be accessible and able to be moved using a standard pallet jack.
• The highest quality pallet is referred to as an “A” grade GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association).
GMA pallets have no stringer damage. The deck board configuration is typically 7 top and 5 bottom
boards with specific lead board sizes.
• Do not ship units on PECO or CHEP pallets, which can’t be moved using a standard pallet
jack.
• Pallets must be accessible and able to be moved using a standard pallet jack.
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Stacked Pallets
Double-stacked pallets are allowed if they’re safe to load and unload, and do not cause product damage
during transit. They must meet these additional requirements:
Labeling Requirements
Shipment Labels
When you create a shipment, print and place the standard shipment labels generated in Seller Center. The
label must include:
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Label Applies to
Pallets and boxes that contain more than one type of sellable unit (different SKU or
Mixed SKU
condition).
Carton # _ of _ Multiple boxes that are part of a single shipment. Number each box and include the
(i.e., Carton 3 of 5) total number of boxes in the second blank.
If you choose to use your own carrier for less-than truckload (LTL) or full truckload (FTL) shipments, you must
require third-party carriers to comply with the guidelines described in this guide.
Scheduling Appointments
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For LTL/FTL shipments, carriers will need to schedule a delivery appointment at your assigned fulfillment
center. Appointments aren’t required for small-parcel deliveries.
LTL/FTL Shipments
• Appointments are required for LTL/FTL shipments.
• A fully completed Walmart Delivery Scheduling Template must be given to the fulfillment center to
schedule an appointment.
• The seller is required to provide the Walmart Delivery Scheduling Template to the shipping carrier.
The following fields must be completed by the seller:
o Carrier Name
o Bill of Lading Number
o Seller Name
o Shipment ID
o Load Type (Palletized or Floor-Loaded)
o Pallet or Carton Count
o Requested Appointment Date
o Requested Appointment Time
• Shipping carriers are required to present a fully completed Walmart Delivery Scheduling Template to
the fulfillment center to schedule an appointment. (This can be obtained from the seller.)
• Shipment carriers should visually inspect that all fields are complete prior to contacting
the fulfillment center to schedule a delivery.
o Shipment IDs must be provided to schedule an appointment.
• The shipment’s bill of lading must be provided at the time of appointment scheduling and at the time
of delivery to the fulfillment center.
• LTL/FTL deliveries should be scheduled during normal delivery hours by emailing the applicable
contact at the fulfillment center. (See the WFS Fulfillment Centers section.)
• Rescheduling will be accommodated based on the next available appointment at the fulfillment
center. If the seller or carrier can’t make or no longer need the scheduled appointment, you must
email the fulfillment center to confirm cancellation at least 24 hours before the appointment time.
Failure to do so within the cancellation window may result in a penalty fee, as outlined in the WFS
Fees article of Seller Help.
Small-Parcel Shipments
• We don’t require an appointment for small parcel deliveries, regardless of whether you’re using the
WFS Preferred Carrier Program or your own small parcel carrier.
• We recommend you include tracking details under Manage Shipment when creating the inbound
order.
• Small parcel guidelines:
• Maximum size: 108" in length and 165" in length plus girth (girth is 2x width + 2x height)
• Maximum weight: 150 lb.
• Some items, such as mattress pads, may be rolled up for transit. For cylinders and tubes, use
diameter instead of length or width to measure size. However, note that the fulfillment
center will over-box these items in order to ship them without damages. We’ll use the over-
box size to calculate storage fees.
• If small parcels do not meet the above requirements, shipments must be delivered as LTL.
Direct Imports
If you’re an international seller, WFS accepts direct imports that meet the below requirements:
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Acceptable trailer
• A United States warehouse or fulfillment center is not required. However, per compliance
regulations, a U.S. location where returns can be sent to if needed is required.
Documentation
Bill of Lading
You must ship using facility-specific bills of lading. There should never be more than one bill of lading per
location. The bill of lading must contain:
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• Shipment IDs – If multiple orders are shipped under one bill of lading, all Shipment IDs must be
listed.
• Complete destination (fulfillment center address)
• Freight terms, e.g., “Prepaid”
• Seller name and complete ship-from address
• Ship date
• Carrier name
• Carton count
For LTL shipments, you must also include accurate NMFC numbers (including subitem number, if applicable),
NMFC class, number of cartons, and weight by item in the bill of lading. You’re responsible for updating
NMFC numbers and any additional freight charges resulting from misclassified items.
For “Said to Contain” scenarios only: Walmart’s designated carriers will not accept bills of lading that are
marked “Said to Contain.” All bills of lading must have complete and accurate carton counts. However, if the
carrier cannot count the cartons due to stretch-wrap inhibitors, or if the bill of lading information cannot be
accurately verified, the carrier will sign for stretch-wrapped pallets. The carrier will only be responsible for
the pieces (cartons or pallets) signed for. All other shortages will be your responsibility. Carriers will be
instructed to count every carton.
Packing List
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Packing lists are optional. If a packing list does accompany a shipment, the information must match the
contents of the truck. It should be presented in a clear plastic envelope and attached to the outside of the
last pallet or carton loaded for each shipment, facing the trailer or container door.
If the bill of lading also serves as the packing list, please make a copy of the bill of lading and present this in a
clear plastic envelope attached to the outside of the last pallet or carton loaded. If you ship multiple inbound
orders on the same trailer, there should be a packing list for each order. Drivers requesting a packing list may
be given a copy. However, the original packing list should remain on the freight.
If a packing list is provided, the information on the list should contain the following information:
Receiving
Once you’ve successfully submitted an inbound order and shipped inventory, our fulfillment centers will
check in most items within two business days. However, items that require unplanned prep work, arrive
during peak (October 1–December 31), or other circumstances may take up to seven days to process.
1. The timeliness of receiving is based on when the inbound order was delivered to when it was put
away into sellable locations.
2. At the time that inventory is assigned a sellable location at the fulfillment center, we’ll enter the
quantity of inventory and its location into our database. Items will then appear as sellable in your
inventory report and be available to sell at this point.
3. Available-to-sell inventory is measured at the unit level: number of units put away to a sellable
location by close of the second business day after receiving, divided by number of units received.
4. All inbound orders will be closed seven days after first receipt.
5. These terms of service exclude issues such as missing inbound orders, missing SKU setup, unplanned
inventory prep, and variances in the received inventory. These issues may cause delays in receiving.
Damaged Items
Any goods received at a Walmart fulfillment center in a damaged or pilfered condition (concealed or
otherwise) will be refused and/or returned to the seller at the seller’s expense. We’ll use the returns
preferences that you provided in Seller Center to process damaged items.
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Refused Shipments
WFS reserves the right to refuse any trailer that’s deemed unsafe, infested, damaged, or otherwise deemed
unfit to receive. For example:
• Shipments that are coded as "damaged" or "defective" may be refused at the dock. Return freight
charges will be at your expense. We’ll provide pictures and descriptions of the damages and
defective products.
• Shipments without a bill of lading will be refused at the dock and may be returned to you at your
expense.
• You may not refuse or return shipments that are returned to you without first contacting WFS.
• Returned shipments that are refused or returned to WFS without first attempting resolution with
WFS may be refused. Any transportation costs incurred to reship to you will be at your expense.
Please set your preferences in your Seller Center Partner Profile. To do so, navigate to the Returns page
under Settings and select “Walmart Fulfilled Returns”. Add Return Rules for Unsellable Inventory under WFS
Return Preferences. If no preference is selected, Seller Support will attempt to contact you to resolve the
problem twice over a four-day period. If a response isn’t received within five days, the product may be
returned to you, destroyed, or disposed of by Walmart, and the resulting expenses will be your responsibility.
Additional terms may apply to any recalled or withdrawn product.
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
• Defective items
• Incomplete item setup
• Unexpected items in shipment
• Items with dimensions that do not meet acceptable criteria
• Items prohibited under the WFS Prohibited Products Policy and Marketplace Prohibited Products
Policy
• Seller Support will attempt to contact you to resolve the problem twice over a four-day period.
• If a response isn’t received within five days, WFS will return the inventory to you at your expense.
(See applicable fees in the WFS Fees article.)
• Tracking details for the returned inventory will be provided to you through a Seller Support case.
Disputes can be filed for individual shipment discrepancies. Disputes must be filed within 50 days of delivery
to the fulfillment center.
Waiting Period: Dispute claims can be filed ten calendar days after inventory has been delivered at a
fulfillment center, as confirmed through tracking information. Claims filed during or prior to the ten-day
waiting period won’t be investigated. The SLA may begin on day ten of the waiting period or after and once
you have submitted the dispute claim with the required documentation.
Required Documentation: Three forms of shipment confirmation are required to initiate an investigation into
a missing inventory claim:
• Tracking information for the complete shipment, including the full delivery address
• Proof of purchase/invoice
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WFS Routing Guide — August 2022
• Packing list of the invoice: In the Disputes Template.xlsx file, follow the instructions in the README
tab, then input the required information in the “Packing List” tab.
Dispute Process and Timing: Seller Support will investigate the claim and provide resolution within seven
calendar days.
Reimbursement: Reimbursement claims will be granted after reasonable reconciliation efforts have
occurred. If the investigation concludes beyond a reasonable doubt that inventory was lost or misplaced
while in possession of WFS, we’ll issue a reimbursement for the estimated proceeds of the sale, based on the
average sales price of the item. You’ll receive the reimbursement during the next payment cycle.
NOTE: If the WFS dispute investigation does not find conclusive evidence that WFS is responsible for the loss
or mishandling of product, dispute reimbursements won’t be provided.
Lost Items: Sellers are responsible for any goods lost in transit to fulfillment centers and must manage all
carrier claims.
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