Walmart launches membership platform for small businesses and nonprofits

Walmart launched a $98-per-year e-commerce subscription for small businesses and non-profit organizations that offers free shipping and extra savings on qualifying orders, the retail giant announced Friday.

Organizations that purchase a Walmart Business membership receive free shipping with no minimum order, free pickup and delivery with a $35 minimum order, 2% rewards on orders of $250 or more, and 5% savings on eligible items set to recurring order subscriptions.

Walmart said it has worked for months with small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and nonprofits to “build solutions just for them.”

“Our focus is to remove complexity in purchasing, lower costs and give our customers more opportunities to serve their customers and communities,” Walmart said in a statement. “These customers are under more pressure than ever due to inflation and supply chain issues, adapting to a hybrid workforce and post-pandemic behavioral shifts.”

The Walmart Business platform features 100,000 curated products including food and beverage, office supplies and furniture, restroom supplies, electronic and more.

“Walmart Business simplifies restocking by grouping various items together in a way that makes sense to organizations,” the retailer said.

Memberships allow up to five users to be added to an account, and customers can share payment information, order history and purchasing authority across teams, Walmart said. Qualified organizations can enroll in the Walmart Tax-Exemption Program to automatically deduct eligible taxes during checkout.

“As we continue to evolve the shopping experience, we are committed to listening to SMB and nonprofit customers to help them address the challenges they face today, and the ever-changing challenges that come with running an organization,” Walmart said.

Seattle-based retail giant Amazon launched its Business Prime membership program in 2018, more than a decade after it rolled out its Subscribe & Save platform for consumers. That program offers greater spending visibility, purchasing suggestions, extended payment terms and upgraded shipping options.

Pricing of Amazon’s business membership program is based on total number of users, with a $69 annual membership for one user up to $10,099 for more than 100 users.