Walmart scales product content with new partner program

Dive Brief:

Walmart launched the Connected Content Partner program as an extension of its Content Service Provider program to help suppliers scale content for Walmart and other retailers and find content partners, the retailer announced in a LinkedIn post. The program will focus on helping suppliers ensure content is simple and clear while offering value and driving measurable results.
Product experience management platform Salsify will join Walmart’s Connected Content Partner program as a content syndication partner, according to a Salsify news release. The company will work with Walmart’s suppliers to streamline product content and will have an on-site presence at Walmart to help facilitate content delivery.
Gladson, a creator and syndicator of product content, digital assets and rich content for brands, announced in a news release that it will participate in the program to enable Walmart suppliers to create content, rich content and publish rich media for the retailer’s e-commerce platform.

Dive Insight:

Walmart continues to grow and enhance its e-commerce platform in its ongoing competition with Amazon. The new Connected Content Partner program, which officially launches in January 2019, is in line with those efforts. Walmart reported a 4.5% growth in U.S. comparable sales for Q2 2018, the company’s strongest growth in 10 years, and e-commerce sales grew 40%, according to Retail Dive.

Walmart says it interviewed more than 650 suppliers to understand their challenges and opportunities when it comes to content, and uncovered a number of pain points. The retailer uncovered a lack of understanding surrounding its processes that existing Content Service Provider program participants were expected to deliver on. Walmart also uncovered a concern over cost and a perceived lack of a value proposition.

With the Connected Content Program, Walmart is striving to automate the process of suppliers identifying technical experts who can help them scale digital content across Walmart’s catalog and other retailers more cost effectively. Suppliers should be able to identify the content partners to help their businesses better scale and deliver product content.

Other retailers are increasing their focus on e-commerce by incorporating more automation in their content strategies. Macy’s announced last week that it would expand its relationship with brand commerce agency Madras Global for creative automation across its e-commerce platform. Madras will work with Macy’s internal teams to provide high-volume digital advertising and marketing, including retouching, email and site content and create and manage more than 9 million product images that run across the website, promotions and landing pages.