More Canadian online sellers are adding Walmart.ca alongside Amazon.ca. Both marketplaces offer their own fulfillment programs: Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS). They work in a similar way, since you send inventory to the marketplace and it stores, picks, packs and ships your orders. But the prep rules, labels and costs are different, and getting them wrong means delays at the receiving dock.
This guide compares Walmart WFS and Amazon FBA for Canadian sellers in 2026: how each program works, what each one expects your inventory to look like when it arrives, and how to run both from one stock of inventory.
Walmart WFS vs Amazon FBA at a glance
| Amazon FBA (Canada) | Walmart WFS (Canada) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who stores and ships orders | Amazon fulfillment centres | Walmart Canada fulfillment centres |
| Customer-facing badge | Prime eligibility | “Fulfilled by Walmart” tag, with two-day shipping and in-store pickup options |
| Item barcode | FNSKU label from Seller Central for most sellers | Product GTIN or UPC on every unit. FNSKU is not accepted |
| Prep by the marketplace | Ended in Canada on July 1, 2026 | Do not plan on it in Canada. Ship units ready to receive |
| Box labels | FBA box ID labels from your shipment plan | WFS receiving label with the WFS shipment ID |
| Minimums | None | No inventory minimums |
How Amazon FBA works in Canada now
With FBA, Amazon stores your products and handles picking, packing, shipping, customer service and returns for Amazon.ca orders. Your listings can show Prime eligibility, which is still one of the strongest reasons to use FBA.
The big change this year is prep. Since July 1, 2026, Amazon no longer offers its own prep and item labelling services for shipments to Canadian fulfillment centres. Every unit now has to arrive already labelled, bagged or boxed to Amazon’s standards. Our guide to Amazon FBA prep requirements in Canada covers the full checklist.
How Walmart WFS works in Canada
Walmart Fulfillment Services opened in Canada in 2022 and is now available to all Walmart Canada Marketplace sellers. As with FBA, you ship inventory to a Walmart fulfillment centre and Walmart handles storage, picking, packing, shipping, customer support and returns. Eligible items show a “Fulfilled by Walmart” tag, and Walmart promotes fast shipping options for them.
Walmart is also pushing hard for new Canadian sellers. Its 2026 seller savings program offers new sellers who go live on or after February 1, 2026 discounts on WFS fulfillment and storage fees, free inbound shipping through Walmart’s preferred carrier program and reduced referral fees for a limited time. Terms change, so confirm the current offer in Walmart Seller Center before you plan around it.
The key differences in prep and labelling
1. Item barcodes
This is where most sellers who already use FBA trip up. Amazon usually needs an FNSKU label on each unit. Walmart WFS needs each sellable unit to carry a scannable GTIN (14 digits) or UPC (12 digits) on its outer packaging, with a unique barcode for each variant. WFS does not accept FNSKU, EAN or vendor SKU codes.
In practice, the same product needs a different label depending on where it is going. A unit labelled for Amazon cannot simply be redirected to Walmart, and the reverse is also true. Old or conflicting barcodes have to be covered so only the correct one scans.
2. Carton labels
Amazon cartons carry the FBA box ID labels printed from your shipment plan. WFS cartons need a WFS receiving label (not just a carrier label) showing your return address, the WFS ship-to address and the WFS shipment ID as a barcode or QR code. Mixed-SKU boxes going to WFS also need “mixed merchandise” stop labels on the sides and top.
3. Packaging
Both marketplaces expect products to survive handling: loose items bagged, fragile items protected, sets kept together, and expiry dates visible where they apply. The exact rules for poly bags, bubble wrap, carton sizes and pallets are set by each marketplace and updated from time to time, so always check the current requirements in Seller Central and Seller Center before you ship.
WFS vs FBA inventory limits
Both programs control how much inventory you can send, but in different ways. Amazon sets FBA capacity limits for each storage type, based on your sales history and how fast your inventory sells. Slow-moving stock reduces your limit and can add storage fees. Walmart WFS reviews each item for eligibility before you can send it, and inbound orders are created and approved in Seller Center, so plan your first WFS shipment before your Amazon stock runs low.
| Amazon FBA | Walmart WFS | |
|---|---|---|
| How limits work | Capacity limits by storage type, updated regularly | Item eligibility review and inbound orders approved in Seller Center |
| Item barcode | FNSKU (or eligible manufacturer barcode) | GTIN or UPC on each sellable unit |
| Restricted items | Hazmat review, expiry rules | No perishables, aerosols or regulated products; max 500 lb per item |
A common way around FBA capacity limits is to keep extra stock in a 3PL warehouse and send smaller, more frequent shipments to Amazon and Walmart as each one needs it.
Switching from FBA to WFS, or selling on both
Many Canadian sellers do not switch completely. They keep Amazon FBA and add Walmart WFS as a second channel. The main work is relabelling: units that carry FNSKU labels for Amazon need their GTIN or UPC barcode showing for Walmart. See our step-by-step guide on how to switch from Amazon FBA to Walmart WFS and how to get the Fulfilled by Walmart tag in Canada.
Using a 3PL for Walmart orders in Canada
- WFS prep: GTIN labels, poly bags with suffocation warnings, sets marked “Sold as set” and WFS receiving labels on every carton.
- Split inventory: one stock pool that feeds Amazon FBA, Walmart WFS and your own website orders.
- Seller-fulfilled Walmart orders: ship Walmart.ca orders directly from the 3PL when you do not use WFS for an item.
Newsom 3PL provides Walmart WFS prep services and Amazon FBA prep from our warehouse in Mississauga, near Toronto Pearson. Request a quote.
WFS vs FBA for fragile items
Glass, ceramics, electronics and other fragile products need extra care in both programs. Amazon and Walmart both expect fragile items to arrive protected, usually with bubble wrap, inner boxes or void fill, and both can charge you or reject units that are damaged on arrival. The rules change often, so check the latest prep requirements in Seller Central and Walmart Seller Center before you ship.
Many sellers keep fragile or high-value SKUs as merchant-fulfilled orders from a 3PL, where packaging is controlled for every order, and send only sturdy, fast-moving items to FBA or WFS. Newsom 3PL can prep fragile items for WFS, prep them for FBA or ship them directly to your customers.
Which one should you use?
For most Canadian sellers, the answer is not one or the other. It is both, with the right split of inventory:
- Amazon FBA usually brings the most order volume, thanks to Prime and Amazon.ca’s traffic.
- Walmart WFS gives you a second, growing channel with less competition in many categories, and current new-seller discounts make it cheaper to test.
- Your own website and B2B orders still need a fulfillment option outside both marketplaces.
The risk with selling on several channels is that inventory gets split too early. If you send too much stock to one marketplace, it sits there paying storage fees while the other channel runs out.
How a 3PL helps you sell on both
A Canadian 3PL can act as the central stock point for all your channels. Your inventory lands in one warehouse, and from there:
- Units for Amazon are labelled with FNSKU labels, prepped to Amazon’s rules and shipped to Amazon fulfillment centres.
- Units for Walmart get their GTIN or UPC barcodes checked, receive WFS carton labels and ship to Walmart fulfillment centres.
- Orders from your own store and wholesale customers are picked, packed and shipped directly.
- Stock is replenished to each marketplace in smaller, more frequent shipments, so you avoid paying long-term storage on slow-moving units.
Newsom 3PL provides Amazon FBA prep and replenishment and Walmart WFS prep from our warehouse in Mississauga, alongside e-commerce fulfillment for your own website orders. One stock pool, labelled correctly for every channel.
Also weighing shipping Amazon orders yourself? See Amazon FBA vs FBM in Canada.
Next steps: learn how to get the Fulfilled by Walmart tag in Canada or follow our step-by-step guide to switching from FBA to WFS.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the same barcode for Amazon FBA and Walmart WFS?
Sometimes. If your Amazon listing is set up to use the manufacturer barcode instead of an FNSKU, the same UPC may work for both. Most sellers use FNSKU labels on Amazon, though, and WFS does not accept FNSKU, so units usually need channel-specific labels.
Does Walmart prep my inventory in Canada?
Plan on shipping units that are fully ready to receive. Walmart offers paid prep services in the United States, but you should not count on them for Canadian shipments. Confirm with Walmart Seller Support before relying on any marketplace prep option.
Is there a minimum inventory amount for WFS?
No. Walmart says there are no inventory requirements or minimums to join WFS in Canada, although product restrictions and size and weight limits apply.
Can a 3PL send inventory to both Amazon and Walmart?
Yes. A prep centre can store your inventory and split it between Amazon, Walmart and your own orders, applying the right labels for each one. Contact Newsom 3PL for a quote on multi-channel prep and fulfillment.
What are the WFS packaging requirements?
Each unit must be protected for transit and carry a scannable GTIN or UPC. Poly bags must be sealed and at least 1.5 mil thick, and bags with an opening of 5 inches or more need a suffocation warning. Sets must be marked “Sold as set”. Check Walmart Seller Center for the latest rules.
Do I need a 3PL for Walmart orders in Canada?
Not always, but a 3PL makes it easier to prep WFS shipments, keep extra stock outside Walmart and Amazon, and ship seller-fulfilled Walmart.ca orders.