Approximately 60% of Walmart sellers are using Walmart's internal repricer. The reason is that, up until now, there haven't been any outstanding alternatives available! In this article we break down if that is the best choice for your business and why you should consider Flashpricer instead.
E-commerce is a vibrant, fast-paced world, teeming with a plethora of tools all vying for your attention and promising the moon. But as savvy business owners know, not all that glitters is gold. Today, we're about to pull back the curtain on one such tool: Walmart's internal repricer.
Despite Walmart's esteemed stature in the retail industry, when compared to a more sophisticated competitor like Flashpricer, their repricer reveals some glaring limitations.
There exist seven compelling factors that make Flashpricer the superior choice over Walmart's internal repricer. In the following sections, we will dissect each of these aspects, showcasing why Flashpricer outshines its competitor in each arena.
Flashpricer vs. Walmart's Internal Repricer
Data Reliability
First on our list is data reliability. Walmart's internal repricer is entirely dependent on its own API for information, which unfortunately has a track record of being incorrect around 40% of the time.
For any repricing tool to be effective, data accuracy is paramount. Just like a ship without a compass, a repricer with unreliable data won't get you where you need to go. Flashpricer, however, circumvents this issue by incorporating data from multiple sources and using proprietary algorithms, thus offering superior accuracy and reliability.
Privacy
The concept of privacy is another sticking point. Walmart's internal repricer requires sellers to feed their minimum prices into Walmart's system. It's an unsettling thought, particularly when you consider that Walmart isn't just your marketplace, but also your competitor. Disclosing your lowest possible price to a rival feels counterproductive. Flashpricer respects your need for discretion, letting you safeguard your pricing strategies from your competitors.
Competition Settings
When it comes to versatility in competition, Walmart's repricer disappointingly falls short. It restricts sellers to compete with just three types of competitors:
The listing's lowest price
The Buy Box price
Amazon's price
These limitations are puzzling, especially the idea of competing against Amazon prices, since Amazon operates in a completely different marketplace, often commanding higher prices. Plus, the Buy Box and lowest prices allowed by Walmart to compete against are based on their own reports and APIs, which, as we've highlighted, frequently deliver incorrect and outdated data.
Flashpricer shines here, allowing a wider spectrum of competition and keeping sellers agile in diverse market situations. Within Flashpricer, you have the unique ability to drill down to the finest details, such as targeting individual sellers by name and executing specific strategies based on their competitive stance.
Price adjustments
Price adjustments with Walmart's repricer are also woefully inadequate. Sellers can only specify a dollar amount or percentage to outperform their competition, and the repricer will never increase your price or even match your competitors. This becomes problematic if your competition on Walmart disappears, as your price won't increase, leaving you potentially underselling your goods. Flashpricer offers a more adaptive approach, with flexible repricing options to help you seize every profit opportunity.
Differentiate among competition types
Walmart's repricer also falls behind in its ability to differentiate among competition types. Whether your competitor is Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM), or specific sellers, the repricer treats them identically. In the complex e-commerce landscape, such a one-size-fits-all approach could lead to missed opportunities and profits. Flashpricer pulls ahead with a more refined approach that enables you to tailor your competition strategies.
The way that you are fulfilling your items is one of the most important factors in Buy Box placement and if you cannot differentiate how you are competing with specific sellers then you will either be sacrificing sales or profits by using Walmart's internal repricer.
Walmart Buy Box Suppressed
With Walmart's repricer, there's no mechanism to handle a scenario where there is no Buy Box owner (a suppressed Buy Box), nor an option to exclude certain sellers from your competition list. This lack of adaptability could leave you struggling in unexpected market situations. Flashpricer, on the other hand, gives you the flexibility to adjust your strategy in such scenarios, highlighting its comprehensive understanding of the dynamic marketplace.
Limited Pricing Strategies: The Downward Only Repricing Dilemma
Finally, an alarming drawback of Walmart's internal repricer is its lack of flexibility when it comes to outdoing the competition. Regrettably, it only permits you to reprice below your rivals, offering no avenue to match or even exceed their prices. This restriction can lead to a race-to-the-bottom scenario, undermining the value of your product and potentially eating into your profits.
In stark contrast, a more dynamic and versatile solution like Flashpricer understands that every market scenario is unique, giving you the freedom to match or price above your competitors when the situation calls for it. This level of control puts you in the driver's seat, allowing you to seize every opportunity to maximize your margins and safeguard the perceived value of your products.
Speed of Price Changes
In the dynamic and fast-paced world of e-commerce, the frequency of price updates is not just a luxury, but an absolute necessity. Here, Walmart's repricer falls short, adjusting prices only once every four hours, and sometimes never (if there are no API calls or reports that anything has changed on the listing). In the interim, the market can change dramatically, leaving your products underpriced and your profits potentially dwindling. Flashpricer steps up to the challenge by offering real-time price updates, ensuring that your product pricing is always in line with the current market situation.
The Bottom Line
In the final analysis, while Walmart's internal repricer might appear convenient, it is riddled with significant drawbacks. From data reliability issues to lack of flexibility and sub-par pricing adjustments, it's clear that it's not designed for the nuanced needs of today's competitive e-commerce landscape.
On the other hand, Flashpricer shines with its advanced capabilities, attention to detail, and real-time responsiveness. By offering more accurate data, respecting your privacy, providing versatile competition settings, and dynamic price adjustments, it truly understands and caters to the needs of modern e-commerce merchants.
Compare It For Yourself
But don't just take our word for it! We invite you to experience the Flashpricer advantage for yourself. Sign up for a free trial today, and discover how our advanced repricing tool can help you stay competitive, maximize your profits, and navigate the complexities of e-commerce with confidence and ease. With Flashpricer, you're not just getting a tool, but a partner dedicated to your success. Your thriving e-commerce business is just a click away - join us today!
Have any hesitation before you sign up? Feel free to schedule some time to ask our success team your questions!