Imagine your book displayed in Walmart stores all over the country, gaining massive exposure and increasing your profits. It’s not a dream! It’s achievable. Getting your book into Walmart gives your name and your book instant credibility and boosts your author brand. We’ll unveil the insider strategies to navigate the Walmart submission process, boost your acceptance chances, and see your book become a bestseller!

Table of Contents

1. Why You Should Sell Your Book at Walmart
2. Understanding Walmart’s Book Buying Process
3. Step-by-Step Process to Get Your Book into Walmart
4. Negotiating with Walmart: Key Insights
5. Marketing Your Book After It’s in Walmart

Let’s get that book on the shelves of Walmart!

Why You Should Sell Your Book at Walmart

Selling your book at Walmart can be extremely intimidating but the payoff is worth it. Walmart is one of the largest retailers in the world and the high volume of traffic they bring in is a good sign of strong sales potential and growth opportunities!

Importance of Walmart’s Retail Reach:
Walmart’s broad span of products bring in higher foot traffic and their online presence brings in global traffic. Increasing the visibility of your book directly translates to higher sales potential.

Exposure and Credibility:
Walmart is a household name that everyone has boughten from. Customers trust products from well-established businesses and this trust will extend onto your book on the shelf of Walmart.

Sales Potential:
One great example of a book reaching a broader, non-traditional reader base was when J.K. Rowling got the Harry Potter series into Walmart, selling over 500 million copies globally. With Walmart’s help, “Harry Potter“ moved from being a highly successful book series to becoming a global cultural phenomenon.

Even though getting your book into the hands of Walmart shoppers sounds like a long process, the reality is that it’s more straightforward than you might think, once you understand the key steps involved. Let’s get into it!

Understanding Walmart’s Book Buying Process

Walmart partners with major distributors like Ingram to process their book ordering and restocking. They use Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to ensure accurate orders that are fast! These are commonly used by publishers and distributors to keep a professional and official process.

Here are 5 things Walmart will look for in your book:

1. Wide Market Appeal: Walmart is more likely to sell books with popular themes or genres. The most popular genres are fiction, self-help, and children’s books.
2. Competitive Pricing: Walmart will order your book in bulk so the book must be reasonably priced.
3. Proven Sales: Walmart will be drawn to a book with raving reviews or an author that has had luck selling their books in the past. However, this is not necessary for Walmart publishing success.
4. Trending Topics: Books related to current trends, movies, or seasonal activities are more likely to be picked.
5. Quality: Books need to meet durability and professional standards, so they appeal to customers.

Distributing to Walmart Through a Distributor

Going to Walmart with a distributor managing your book is the easiest way to get your book into Walmart but there are pros and cons of distributing vs. direct sales. Let’s get find which is best for you!

To get your book into Walmart using a distributor you must pick a distributor who already has relations with Walmart. They take care of managing the entire process! Even when it comes to storing copies, shipping, and customer returns. Your book will be pitched to Walmart on your behalf by the distributor and if Walmart decides to stock it the distributor will take care of all the moving parts while you can enjoy the profit and sales.

Pros:

1. Easy Access: Your distributor already works with Walmart and past connections can seal future deals.
2. Less Risk: Authors only have to worry about their work while distributors make sure your book sells.
3. Audience Reach: Distributors will present your book to other outlets and retailers besides Walmart to expand your market.

Cons:

1. Profit: You will make less per book due to the distributor profit cuts.
2. Control: You have less direction in the pricing and negotiations because the distributor will manage these.

How to Sell Your Book Directly to Walmart

Selling your book to Walmart is challenging but will leave you with higher profit margins and more control over your book if done correctly.

To start the process of getting your book into Walmart you have to appl through the Walmart Supplier Application portal which will include detailed information about your book mainly exclusive to your logistic capabilities. You must meet the EDI compliance standards to prove you can handle distribution and bulk orders. After that you will create your compelling pitch and submit your work to Walmart’s book buyers showing why your book should be stocked, and info on your target audience. After you complete the application process Walmart will review your proposal and if accepted, you’ll negotiate terms like pricing, discounts and returns.

Pros:

1. Profit: Cutting out the distributor gives you an extra cut of profit that can really add up by the time your book reaches the shelves.
2. Control: You will have complete control over the negotiation of your book and things regarding the book itself and you as an author.

Cons:

1. Risk: You are the distributor, so the investment risk is solely on you.
2. Complex Process: Not only do you have to go through the application process, but you also have the orders that will flood in after your terms are accepted. Keeping up with this can be time consuming.

Which Is Better

For most authors with small publishers or self-published books working with a distributor will be the easiest and most effective way to get your book out there. Selling directly to Walmart is better for large publishers or authors with a strong supply chain and infrastructure for orders.

Step-by-Step Process to Get Your Book into Walmart

Walmart expects books to meet industry standards when they sell them. Keep these 4 steps in mind before starting your book application process.

Step 1: Prepare Your Book for Retail Success

To prepare your book for retail sales in Walmart there are a few basic formatting, design and pricing strategies to follow for success.

When it comes to the cover of your book, find similar genres of books in Walmart to get inspired. You will notice many of the covers will be similar in format and style. For example, here are the industry standards for book sizes in relation to their genre specifically for Walmart books.

• Fiction: 5” x 8” or 6” x 9”
• Nonfiction: 6” x 9” or 7” x 10”
• Children’s Books: 8” x 8” or 8” x 10″

Formatting the inside of your book for industry standards is simple. Follow these typography, margin, and page layout rules to achieve the industry standard for formatting a fiction or nonfiction book.

• Font: Common choices include Times New Roman, Garamond, or Arial.
• Font Size: Body text should be between 10 and 12 points.
• Line Spacing: Use a line spacing of 1.15 or 1.2 leading for comfortable reading.
• Paragraph Indentation: Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.25 or 0.5 inches.
• Standard Margins: Use standard margins of at least 0.5 inches on all sides.
• Gutter Margins: For printed copies add an additional 0.25 to 0.5 inches to the inside margin (gutter margin) to accommodate the binding.
• Page Numbering: Include page numbers at the bottom center or bottom corner of each page.
• Header & Footers: Only use them for page numbers.

Formatting children’s books is much different than fiction or nonfiction books. They include different fun and whimsical elements that entice the younger readers. Here are a few guides to help you navigate the formatting for your children’s book.

• Font: Go for clear fonts that are easy to read. Popular choices for children’s book font include Dyslexie, OpenDyslexic, or Comic Sans.
• Font Size: For picture books, use 18-24 point for the main text. For early readers, use 14-16 point, and for chapter books, 12-14 point is suitable.
• Line Spacing: Use generous line spacing of 1.5 or even 2 leading.
• Margins: Consider slightly larger margins for picture books to accommodate illustrations.
• Page Layout: Make sure the illustrations don’t clash or overlap with the text.
• White Space: White space allows young eyes to rest and focus better. Embrace it!
• Heading and Subheadings: Use large, bold headings and subheadings that stand out.
• Page Turns: Design each page with the page turn in mind. Create suspense!
• Word Count: Picture books typically range from 500-1000 words.

Now that your book is formatted it’s time to jump into the business aspect of selling your book in Walmart.

Step 2: Find a Distributor or Apply Directly

Earlier we went over which is better, finding a distributor for your book or applying directly to Walmart. Ultimately, self-published books want a partnership with a distributor for the easiest and fastest way to get your book into Walmart. Selling directly to Walmart is a great option for published authors or self-published authors with a strong distribution network already in place.

Step 3: Crafting the Perfect Pitch

Any sales pitch can be nerve wracking but being prepared and knowledgeable about your presentation will create confidence. When you’re confident in both your book and marketing plan, it can make a significant impact when pitching to Walmart.

Here are 3 things that Walmart or distributors will be looking for in your pitch:

1. Values & Priorities:
2. Target Audience:
3. Competition:

Here are key elements to add to your pitch:

1. Keep your presentation clear and to the point by using graphs or visual aids. Be prepared to answer any of the questions they might have.
2. Use sales data, market research, or customer testimonials to back up your claims. They will be searching for the proven data.
3. Explain how each feature not only works but benefits Walmart and its customers or the distributor.
4. Bring your audience samples of your book and create a one page sell sheet or brochure that summarizes your key points.
5. Build relationships during the presentation and send follow ups to help your connection. Use patience as your secret weapon but don’t get discouraged if you don’t get an immediate yes.

This is an example of the outline structure for a pitch:

• Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself and your company.
• Problem: Identify a problem or need that Walmart customers have.
• Solution: Explain how your product solves this problem.
• Benefits: Highlight the key benefits for Walmart and its customers.
• Evidence: Provide data or testimonials to support your claims.
• Call to Action: Clearly state what you want the buyer to do next.

Now that you have created your Walmart or distributor proposal sales pitch for your book, it is time to submit your application and go through the approval process.

Step 4: Submission and Approval Process

Whether you decide your book is better for a distributor or Walmart’s supplier program, you will have to go through a few application steps and the approval process. Let’s walk through each and discover which might be best for you.

Distributor:

1. Create an account with your chosen distributor.
2. Upload your book files and metadata.
3. Select Walmart as a sales channel.
4. The distributor will handle submission and inventory management.

Direct Sales:

1. Apply to become a Walmart supplier through their Retail Link portal.
2. Once approved, create product listings for your book.
3. Provide all necessary information (metadata, pricing, shipping details).
4. Manage inventory and fulfillment yourself or through a third-party logistics provider.

Timelines:

• Distributor:
  • Approval: 2-4 weeks
  • Listing on Walmart: Within a few days of approval
• Direct Sales:
  • Supplier Approval: 4-8 weeks (or longer)
  • Listing on Walmart: 1-3 days after approval

That is a walkthrough of the step-by-step process on deciding how to get your book into Walmart and carrying out an effective business plan to get it sold.

Negotiating with Walmart: Key Insights

Once your book application is approved you will start negotiating on key insights like pricing, discounts, marketing support, and promotional opportunities.

Understanding Walmart’s Business Model:
Your negotiation with Walmart will be focused on everyday low prices and high volume, low margin. This will determine the price of your book and how much they will spend on your book per unit. Depending on your application type you will possibly also discuss the supply chain aspects and distribution industry standards.

Pricing and Profit Margins:
To balance competitive pricing with protecting your profit, ensure you understand your costs, set realistic margins, and offer smart volume discounts. Use different formats, bundle products, and reduce costs without sacrificing quality. Leverage temporary promotions, while monitoring competitor pricing and adjusting strategies regularly for both in-store and online platforms.

Dealing with Bulk Orders and Returns:
To manage Walmart’s return policies, negotiate clear limits on returns, offer volume discounts with protective margins, and explore non-returnable terms or restocking fees to reduce costs on bulk orders.

Building a Long-Term Relationship:
To maintain a long-term relationship with Walmart by focusing on consistent performance and meeting sales targets to ensuring timely deliveries. Encourage reorders by offering exclusive promotions or discounts on popular titles and keep them updated about your next book launch to strengthen your partnership and create an unwavering relationship. Collaborating on marketing efforts, such as seasonal promotions or in-store displays, can help boost sales and visibility. Open communication and a reliable supply chain are key to building trust within your partnership with Walmart.

Marketing Your Book After It’s in Walmart

Once your book is on Walmart shelves or listed online, maximize exposure by ensuring it’s positioned in popular sections. Creating Walmart-exclusive editions or limited-time offers and promote the availability of your book through your website and social media channels, driving traffic to Walmart’s platform.

Reviews on Walmart’s website are crucial for increasing credibility and driving more sales. Encourage readers to leave reviews by including a simple request in your book, on your social media, or through follow-up emails after purchase. Positive reviews help build trust and influence other customers to buy your book.

Print Your Book Now!

Getting your book into Walmart is a huge accomplishment just around the corner. Don’t wait to get your sales up or get accepted y a distributor, jump into the Walmart book game headfirst to find the best way to market your book on Walmart shelves. Start creating your book now and visit our website to get it printed!

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