The Walmart buyer is different from the Etsy buyer. On Etsy, people look for niche, personalized and gift-focused products; on Walmart, a large share of shopping is built around everyday needs and good prices. That directly shapes pricing and product selection for POD apparel too.
In this post we cover what you need to know about pricing, catalog and listings when selling POD t-shirts and sweatshirts on Walmart Marketplace. We covered the application requirements in a separate post. One note up front: Custombull's Walmart connection is in development, which means it is in early access today.
Apparel fees on Walmart
Walmart Marketplace has no monthly or setup fee. A referral fee is charged on each sale based on category. In Apparel and Accessories, the rates are tiered by total sales price:
| Total sales price | Referral fee |
|---|---|
| $15 and under | 5% |
| Between $15 and $20 | 10% |
| Over $20 | 15% |
The tiered structure makes it important to set prices around the tier boundaries. Crossing a boundary by a small amount can send most of the price increase to fees.
Example pricing
Product: Gildan 64000 Softstyle t-shirt. Starting price on Custombull with printing included: $6.50. The table assumes free shipping to the buyer; add your shipping cost per order separately.
| Sale price | Referral fee | Product (printing included) | Remaining (excluding shipping) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $14.99 | 5% = $0.75 | $6.50 | $7.74 |
| $19.99 | 10% = $2.00 | $6.50 | $11.49 |
| $21.99 | 15% = $3.30 | $6.50 | $12.19 |
Going from $19.99 to $21.99 raises the price by $2, but what you keep goes up by only 70 cents. Considering Walmart's price-focused buyer base as well, t-shirt prices below the $20 boundary are often the more balanced choice. For higher-cost products like sweatshirts and hoodies, going over $20 is unavoidable; factor in the 15% tier from the start there.
Which products suit Walmart?
On Walmart, topics that speak to a broader audience work better than very niche designs aimed at one person: family roles, seasonal themes, professions, hobbies, school and sports events. Affordable basics stand out.
| Product | Starting price, printing included | Note for Walmart |
|---|---|---|
| Gildan 64000 Softstyle t-shirt | $6.50 | A core product for price-focused buyers |
| Next Level 1533 women's tank | $9.50 | Summer season and sports themes |
| Bella+Canvas 3001 t-shirt | $10.50 | Softer feel, slightly higher price |
| Rabbit Skins 4400 baby bodysuit | $11.00 | Family and baby themes |
| Gildan 18000 sweatshirt | $12.00 | Fall and winter season |
| Gildan 18500 hoodie | $15.00 | Winter season, priced over $20 |
Catalog planning: variants and barcodes
Walmart requires products to be listed with GTIN/UPC codes carrying a GS1 company prefix. In POD, every color and size is a separate variant, so your barcode needs grow quickly. Follow this order when planning your catalog:
- Choose your product group: stick to 1-2 blank models at the start.
- Narrow the color count: 4-6 colors that suit each design.
- Set the size range: S to 3XL; reflect the price difference for larger sizes.
- Calculate your barcode needs: designs × colors × sizes.
- Set up your SKU scheme: give every variant a unique SKU that stays the same across all channels.
On Custombull, you can save your color and size options once as a template and apply them to hundreds of products. SKUs are preserved in cross-channel transfers.
Listing prep
A Walmart listing consists of a title, product description, key features, product attributes and images. The general principles are similar to other marketplaces:
- Title: say what the product is and who it's for in plain language; don't use promotional phrases.
- Product attributes: fill in color, size, fabric, fit and audience completely; filters rely on these fields.
- Images: show the product on a plain background in the main image; add the size chart as a separate image.
- Description: include fabric, print method, care instructions and production and shipping time.
Check Walmart's category-specific content rules and character limits in the current guides in Seller Center. Custombull's AI product photos turn your design into sale-ready images (5 photos for 3 credits); the same images are prepared for all your channels.
Quality and copyright: protect your account
Walmart expects compliance with seller performance standards. Defective items, late shipments and return rates affect your account status. Custombull checks and guarantees the quality of every product: if a defective item ships, you get a no-questions-asked refund or a free reprint. Over the last 60 days, half of all orders shipped in under 2.8 days (median, from order to shipment).
The same care applies to copyright: designs featuring licensed characters, sports teams and brands are risky on Walmart too. Custombull's copyright check compares your design and title against known brands and characters and tells you why something is risky; 1 credit per product.
Custombull Walmart connection: coming soon
Custombull's Walmart connection is in development and is in early access today. Once it opens, your Walmart orders will arrive in the same dashboard as your other channels, POD orders will be printed and shipped by our partner producers in the US, and listings can be moved between channels with your approval. In the meantime, you can connect your Etsy, Shopify, eBay and Amazon stores today and bring together in one dashboard the sales history you need for your Walmart application.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell on Walmart at my Etsy price?
You can, but the two platforms have different fee structures and buyer expectations. Calculate your Walmart price separately, keeping in mind the tiered apparel referral fee and the price-focused buyer.
Can I fulfill Walmart orders with Custombull today?
The Walmart connection hasn't opened yet; it's in early access. Once it opens, Walmart orders will arrive in the dashboard automatically.
soon
