Private label at Walmart looks simple on the surface
After spending time in the standards and seeing programs succeed and fail, there are a few consistent gaps that show up again and again.
Here are 10 things private label manufactures often get wrong:
1. Treating brand standards as flexible. Close enough on color or logo is not acceptable.
2. Designing packaging that is not retail ready. If it takes more than a few seconds to open or hides the product, it slows the shelf down.
3. Overbuilding packaging. Heavier is not better. It creates handling issues and can break compliance.
4. Overcomplicating displays. If it requires store labor, it is already at a disadvantage.
5. Missing clear price communication. If the customer cannot quickly understand value, the moment is lost.
6. Ignoring restricted formats and materials. Some formats just do not work in Walmart’s system or category. Knowing those early saves time and money.
Wasting space
7. Too much empty air increases cost and reduces efficiency across the supply chain.
8. Weak structural design. If it cannot survive transit and the floor, it will not last. Chargebacks are FUN!!!
9. Missing or incorrect case markings. Barcodes, seasonal copy and markings are not small details. They are critical to execution and them being set properly instore.
10. Treating sustainability as optional. Reducing material and designing for recyclability is now part of the expectation. Plus many states are now charging brands back for the waste and different materials being used like plastic.
In my opinion, Walmart is not optimizing for marketing first, not that it doesn’t matter. They are optimizing for speed, simplicity, and consistency at scale.
It is the EDLC/EDLP way!
The manufactures that win understand how to operate inside that system, not work around it. They mind the little details and it pays off.
If you do private label, drop your experience in the comments. What would you advise someone getting into this space?
Ai didn’t do too bad on the bettergoods branded endcap. It’s fun using the tools to make graphics.
Sources include:
Joshua Linden
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