If you've heard about people making money buying stuff at Walmart and reselling it on Amazon, that's online arbitrage (OA) — and it's more straightforward than most people think.
Here's how it actually works and how to get started.
What Is Walmart to Amazon Arbitrage?
Online arbitrage means buying products at retail price from one store and selling them for a profit on another platform. With Walmart → Amazon arbitrage specifically, you're:
- Finding products at Walmart (in-store or online) that are priced lower than their Amazon selling price
- Buying those products
- Sending them to Amazon's warehouse (FBA)
- Amazon stores, picks, packs, and ships to customers — you collect the profit
The margin comes from the price difference, minus Amazon's fees.
Why Walmart?
Walmart is the best source for OA beginners because:
- Clearance is predictable. Walmart marks down items on a regular schedule. Clearance items often hit 50–75% off before they're pulled.
- Walmart.com has structured data. You can see the price, in-stock status, and item details clearly.
- Physical stores add an edge. Online sellers can't clear out a physical shelf — local clearance often means zero competition on Amazon.
Step 1: Set Up Your Amazon Seller Account
You need a Professional Seller account ($39.99/month) to use FBA. Individual accounts work but you pay per-item fees that kill your margins.
Once you're set up, go through the ungating process for any categories you want to sell in (toys, grocery, health, etc.).
Step 2: Learn What Makes a Good Deal
A good OA deal typically has:
- ROI of 30%+ (profit ÷ total cost including fees)
- BSR under 100,000 in its category (lower = sells faster)
- No Amazon as a seller on the listing (Amazon almost always wins the Buy Box)
- Brand is ungated or you're already approved
Step 3: Check the Numbers Before You Buy
This is where most beginners lose money — buying without running the numbers first.
For every product you're considering, you need to know:
- Amazon selling price (what the Buy Box is selling for)
- FBA fulfillment fee (based on size/weight)
- Amazon referral fee (8–15% depending on category)
- Your cost at Walmart
That's it. If the math works, you buy. If not, you move on.
Tools like FlipMeter let you paste a Walmart URL and get the full profit breakdown instantly — so you're not doing this math manually for every item.
Step 4: Source Products
Start with categories you know. Walk the clearance aisles at your local Walmart or filter by clearance on Walmart.com. Look for:
- Items with yellow clearance tags at 50%+ off
- Products with a clear Amazon match (same brand, same model number)
- Items that aren't seasonal (avoid buying Christmas stuff in January)
Step 5: Send to FBA
Once you've bought your inventory, create a shipment in Seller Central, print the labels, box everything up, and ship to Amazon's fulfillment center.
Amazon handles everything from there.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Buying gated brands without approval. If you list a Nike or Apple product without approval, you'll get a policy violation. Always check gating status before buying.
Ignoring seller competition. If 15 other sellers are on the same listing and they're all priced below your target price, your margins disappear. Check the competition before buying.
Not accounting for all fees. FBA fees, referral fees, prep costs, shipping to Amazon — these add up. Run the full calculation every time.
Starting with high-ticket items. A $200 item with 30% ROI sounds great until you get one return and it wipes out 3 months of profit on that product. Start small.
The Bottom Line
Walmart → Amazon arbitrage works. It's not passive income (sourcing takes time), but it's a legitimate, scalable way to start selling on Amazon without a private label product or huge upfront investment.
Start with 5–10 items, learn the numbers, and scale from there.