ColleenMichaels/Depositphotos.com
Taking on eBay, Walmart recently announced partnerships with Stadium Goods, a sneaker re-seller, and Shortboxed, a re-seller of comic books, to expand its collectibles offerings on Walmart Marketplace.
Through the Stadium Goods partnership, consumers shopping Walmart.com can now find exclusive Stadium Goods styles, like Air Jordans, Air Force 1s and Ugg, via the Walmart Marketplace.
“Our customers trust Walmart to deliver not only everyday essentials, but also the latest and most in-demand products – including premium-brand sneakers,” said Manish Joneja, SVP, Walmart Marketplace and Walmart Fulfillment Services, in a blog entry.
Walmart last year formed a similar alliance with StockX, another sneaker re-seller.
Walmart Marketplace and Shortboxed Taking Aim at Comic Book Collectors
With Shortboxed, Walmart Marketplace gains access to a “large portion” of the platform’s catalog of over 75,000 comic books from thousands of sellers. Walmart announced the partnership earlier this month while hosting an outsized booth at New York Comic Con that featured livestreams, contests to win limited-edition comic books, and celebrity comic book artist signings.
“We’re ramping up our efforts to make collecting accessible for all—families, fans and first-timers—delivering the latest, some of the rarest and the most exciting exclusives at the best value, both online and in-store,” said Michael Mosser, VP and category lead, Walmart U.S. Marketplace, in a blog entry. “And with secure, authentic transactions, you can shop with confidence.”
Walmart’s push into collectibles was marked by the hiring in 2022 of Mosser, who was formerly general manager, lifestyle/media/toys at eBay; as well as several other former eBay executives since.
About a year ago, Walmart began offering collectibles through Walmart Marketplace, allowing merchants to sell dolls, sports memorabilia, comic books, and other coveted collectibles on the platform.
Collectible offerings have also been supported by partnerships with Bag, Borrow or Steal, which specializes in pre-owned designer handbags and accessories; BreckerTime, which offers pre-owned watches; and Rebag, which offers pre-owned luxury handbags, jewelry, and watches.
Walmart’s expanding livestreaming platform is also supporting the collectibles push.
In September, Walmart began partnering with TalkShopLive and WeTheHobby, a sports card and collectibles hub, to host a weekly live shopping series titled “Collector’s Night.” The series features both shopping opportunities and entertainment for collectors, including live “box breaks,” exclusive product releases, and giveaways.
“Collectibles represent a critical and exciting area of investment and growth for Walmart," said Mayank Hajela, general manager of collectibles at Walmart U.S., in a statement. “With demand continuing to surge, we're committed to building experiences that not only serve collectors but redefine what they expect from us.”
Amid complaints about rising listing fees, eBay has been facing new competitors in the collectibles space, including livestream auction sites Whatnot, Popshop, and Upmesh, as well as platforms such as Etsy, Amazon, YouTube auctions, StockX, Facebook Marketplace, and Instagram.