Why Walmart’s Direct Vietnam Shipping is a Game-Changer
Walmart is extending its cross-border ocean freight service beyond China by opening two ports in Vietnam to its marketplace sellers.
Sellers who source or manufacture goods in Vietnam can now book full-container shipments from Ho Chi Minh City or Hai Phong, with inventory transported directly to Walmart Fulfilment Services (WFS) facilities across the US.
The move expands Walmart’s existing international freight network, which already includes Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Qingdao and Xiamen in China.
With these additions, sellers can now position inventory from a total of seven Asian ports into the US.
Adam Aldrete, Senior Programme Manager for the Walmart Imports Programme, confirmed the development on LinkedIn, calling it a first for Walmart Cross Border outside of China.
Shipping routes and timelines
The way the process works is straightforward. Sellers prepare full-container loads at either a Vietnamese or Chinese port, clear US customs and then hand over the rest to Walmart’s logistics network.
From there, most inventory moves into one of four US fulfilment centres located in Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Topeka, Kansas and Sacramento, California.
Standard-sized items are redistributed to fulfilment centres closer to end customers, while oversized items are shipped directly from their arrival facility.
Under normal market conditions, Walmart estimates transit times of 35 to 60 days from the cargo-ready date to delivery. That varies depending on port of origin, destination and transport mode.
The company places the average at 44 days for shipments arriving on the West Coast, 50 days for the Midwest and 55 days for the East Coast. To hit holiday demand cut-offs, Walmart advises sellers to have container loads cargo-ready by mid-August to make the inbound yard deadline of 1 October.
Vietnam’s growing role in trade
The expansion into Vietnam is closely tied to global trade dynamics. With tariffs on China-made goods at 55%, which includes a 25% duty linked to fentanyl trafficking, sellers are looking for alternatives. By comparison, Vietnam-made goods face tariffs of 20%, making the country an appealing source.
The importance of Vietnam is clear from its trade data; between January and July exports to the US rose 27.8% year-on-year to US$85.1bn, according to Vietnam’s customs department. July alone showed exports at US$14.2bn, up 26% compared with the previous year, meanwhile imports from the US also increased by 22.7% in the same period, reaching US$10.5bn.
A trade deal agreed on 2 July is expected to fuel that growth, with Vietnam reducing duties on US goods as part of the negotiations.
Walmart has been building towards this moment for some time. In September 2023 the retailer attended the Vietnam International Sourcing Expo to connect with suppliers.
One year later it hosted an event in Hanoi to introduce more than 200 Vietnamese sellers to its ecommerce platform. That outreach laid the groundwork for the port expansion announced on 31 July.
Extra incentives for marketplace sellers
Scott Humanek, Senior Director of Walmart’s global inbound programme, reflects on the pilot that paved the way for the service.
He said: "Our pilot exceeded our expectations in terms of feedback and volumes, and we are excited to let the world know that WCB is ready to help all WFS #Commerce sellers grow your business in the Walmart Marketplace."
Alongside the Vietnam launch, Walmart is rolling out a set of incentives designed to help sellers prepare for peak season.
From October through to 31 December, WFS sellers benefit from waived peak storage fees. Normally, inventory stored more than 30 days during this period is subject to an additional charge of US$1.50 per cubic foot per month, on top of the fixed US$0.75 per cubic foot. The waiver aims to give sellers breathing room to stock up for holiday surges without taking on extra costs.
Another benefit is a 30% discount, available through 1 October, on Walmart’s Multichannel Solutions “fulfil from anywhere” feature. This allows businesses to manage orders across multiple platforms including Walmart.com, Amazon, eBay, Shein and Temu, all through a single system.
The strategy places Walmart in closer competition with Amazon, whose Global Logistics service offers sellers freight routes from China into the US, UK and EU.
By broadening its freight offering and reducing costs for sellers, Walmart strengthens its marketplace proposition ahead of the year’s busiest shopping quarter.
