Walmart judges every marketplace seller on a short list of performance standards. Miss them and Walmart can suppress your listings, pause your store, hold your payments or suspend the account. In 2026 the US list grew from five metrics to eight, and three of the new ones have been enforced since April. Here is every standard, how it’s measured, and how to stay on the right side of each.
What are Walmart’s seller performance standards in 2026?
For Walmart.com (US), these are the standards Walmart lists:
| Metric | Standard | Measured over |
|---|---|---|
| On-Time Delivery Rate | 90% or above | 30 or 60 days |
| Valid Tracking Rate | 99% or above | 30 or 60 days |
| Cancellation Rate | 2% or below | 30 or 60 days |
| Seller Response Rate (replies within 48 hours) | 95% or above | 30 or 60 days |
| Late Shipment Rate | 5% or below | 30 or 60 days |
| Negative Feedback Rate | 2% or below | 60 days |
| Return Rate | 6% or below (9% for Resold items) | 60 days |
| Item Not Received Rate | 2% or below | 60 days |
Source: Walmart Marketplace Learn, “Seller performance standards” (updated July 28, 2026), checked October 2026.
What changed in 2026?
- Refund Rate is gone in the US. Walmart replaced it with two clearer metrics: Return Rate and Item Not Received Rate. Both count issues caused by the seller.
- Enforcement started in April 2026 for Return Rate, Item Not Received Rate and Negative Feedback Rate (Walmart release note, March 25, 2026).
- Negative Feedback Rate applies to WFS sellers too. Walmart says that if you use Walmart Fulfillment Services, most metrics are met for you, except the Negative Feedback Rate.
How each metric works, and how to protect it
On-Time Delivery Rate (90%+)
An order is on time when it’s delivered by the Expected Delivery Date the customer saw at checkout. That date is built from your order cutoff time, fulfillment lag time, operational days and transit time, so settings that promise too much hurt you.
- Set lag time and transit times you can hit on your worst day, not your best.
- Ship within 2 operational days unless Walmart has granted you an exception.
- Watch holiday periods: carrier delays still count against most sellers.
Valid Tracking Rate (99%+)
A tracking number is valid when it’s correctly formatted, isn’t your order number, uses a Walmart-approved carrier and gets at least one carrier scan. Walmart warns that small regional carriers can make 99% hard to reach.
- Upload tracking the moment you buy the label.
- Stick to large carriers Walmart supports, and let the carrier share tracking data with Walmart.
- Fix typos quickly. Walmart lets you edit tracking only for a short time after marking an order shipped.
Late Shipment Rate (5% or below)
A self-fulfilled order is late when it isn’t marked shipped, or scanned by the carrier, by the Expected Ship Date. Walmart’s “Shipping & fulfillment policy” (updated July 2, 2026) says orders with no valid tracking by the Expected Ship Date plus 4 calendar days are cancelled, which also hurts your Cancellation Rate.
Cancellation Rate (2% or below)
Seller cancellations mostly come from selling stock you don’t have.
- Sync inventory across every channel at least several times a day.
- Keep a small safety buffer on fast sellers.
- Unpublish items you can’t restock instead of letting orders come in.
Seller Response Rate (95%+)
Reply to customer messages within 48 hours, weekends included. A short, useful first reply counts. Set a daily check so messages never sit.
Negative Feedback, Return and Item Not Received Rates
These three are measured over 60 days and reflect the customer’s experience after the sale.
- Return Rate (6% or below): make images, sizes, materials and variations match the product exactly. Most avoidable returns are “not as described”.
- Item Not Received Rate (2% or below): use delivery confirmation, and signature confirmation on expensive items. Check carrier exceptions before customers do.
- Negative Feedback Rate (2% or below): fix the causes above, pack well, and solve problems fast when a customer writes in.
What happens if you miss a standard?
Walmart says it notifies you through Seller Center and by email when there’s a problem, with recommendations to help you fix it. Its “Seller suspension and termination” guide (updated October 2, 2026) describes four account actions:
- Suppression: your seller-fulfilled listings can’t be bought. WFS items stay live.
- Pause: both seller-fulfilled and WFS listings can’t be bought, and items may show as out of stock.
- Suspension: listings can’t be found, Seller Center access is limited and payments are held.
- Termination: all listings are removed, selling privileges and Seller Center access are permanently revoked, and payments are held. Walmart says appeals will not be granted.
Suppressions and suspensions can be appealed with a plan of action. Walmart’s “Appeal an account suspension or suppression” guide (updated December 9, 2025) says the plan must describe the violation and the steps you’ll take to correct it, and Walmart may also ask for warehouse photos or supplier invoices less than two months old. Our free Walmart Suspension Appeal Checklist walks through what to include.
Where to check your metrics
Open the Performance dashboard in Seller Center, or the Walmart Seller app. Walmart also sends performance alarms by email and in Seller Center for late shipping, invalid tracking, or orders with no carrier scan within 48 hours of being marked shipped. Treat every alarm as urgent.
Standards vs the Pro Seller badge
Meeting the standards keeps your account safe. The Pro Seller badge asks for more: for example, 95% on-time delivery instead of 90%, a cancellation rate of 1.5% or below and a seller rating of 4.0 or higher. Walmart’s “Pro Seller: Overview” guide (updated September 4, 2026) also lists a referral fee discount on Pro Listings: 5% for Advanced Sellers and 10% for Pro Sellers. See our Walmart Pro Seller Badge Checklist.
USA vs Canada
Walmart.ca still uses five metrics: On-Time Delivery 90% or above, Valid Tracking Rate 95% or above, Cancellation Rate 3% or below, Refund Rate 13% or below, and Seller Response Rate 80% or above. Source: Walmart Marketplace Learn Canada, “Seller Performance Standards” (updated April 15, 2026), checked October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good On-Time Delivery Rate on Walmart?
Walmart’s standard is 90% or above. To qualify for Pro Seller you need 95%, so aim for 95% or higher.
Does WFS count toward my seller metrics?
Walmart says WFS meets most performance metrics for you. The exception is the Negative Feedback Rate, which still applies to WFS orders.
Is Refund Rate still a Walmart metric?
Not in the US. Walmart replaced it with Return Rate and Item Not Received Rate in 2026. Walmart.ca still uses Refund Rate.
Can I appeal a Walmart suspension?
Yes, suppressions and suspensions can be appealed with a plan of action. Walmart decides every appeal, and a termination can’t be appealed.
How RetailerBox helps
Returns and refunds feed two of these standards, and they’re also where Walmart money goes missing. Walmart Customer Care can refund a seller-fulfilled return if you don’t act within 48 hours, and you then have 45 days from the return date to dispute it. WFS returns that were refunded but never processed can be disputed from day 90 after the return started, for 45 days. Our team finds these in your reports, files each dispute with the evidence Walmart asks for and follows it up. Start with a free 6-month reimbursement audit.