A few years ago, I spoke with the marketing head of a mid-sized CPG brand trying to make Walmart work for them. Their products had solid reviews, competitive pricing, and decent distribution. Yet, sales online barely moved. After bringing in an experienced Walmart marketing agency, their share of voice doubled in six months. The difference was night and day.

That story isn’t rare. Walmart’s marketplace is growing fast, and competition is heating up. For brands, the challenge is no longer whether to advertise, it’s how to stand out. Picking the right agency partner is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Here’s what to look for when evaluating options.

Walmart is not Amazon. Its ad platform has its own quirks: different algorithms, bidding models, and shopper behaviors. A generic retail media agency may know the basics, but the ones that excel at Walmart understand how in-store promotions, online ads, and search placements all tie together.

Ask agencies to walk you through how they approach top-of-search campaigns versus category placements. A strong partner can explain why your product might need both, and how in-store screens can complement digital ads. If they can’t, that’s a red flag.

Every agency will claim they can drive sales. The question is: can they prove it? The better firms showcase case studies with hard numbers, share of voice increases, improved ROAS, or successful product launches.

For example, I once reviewed a case where an electronics brand nearly abandoned Walmart after poor early results. Their agency partner restructured campaigns, optimized listings, and within a quarter, online sales jumped 40%. That kind of evidence builds trust because it shows the agency knows how to execute, not just talk strategy.

In Walmart’s ecosystem, hunches don’t cut it. The right partner dives into data, measuring not just impressions but incremental lift, basket-level behavior, and how ads influence in-store sales.

A good question to ask: how often do they provide reporting, and what do they focus on? If an agency only talks clicks, they’re not looking deep enough. The strong ones connect ad performance to profitability, helping you see whether dollars spent are actually creating new growth instead of shifting sales from one channel to another.

One overlooked truth: ads only work if the product page converts. A seasoned Walmart marketing agency won’t just manage bids; they’ll help overhaul listings, writing sharper titles, optimizing descriptions, producing visuals, and even creating videos.

I’ve seen a beauty brand unlock double-digit conversion gains after an agency rebuilt its content library. They didn’t change their ad spend; they simply gave shoppers a reason to trust the product once they landed on the page.

Agencies with real experience can scale quickly while protecting efficiency. I’ve seen retail brands crash campaigns by overspending during peak seasons without the right guardrails. The good agencies know how to prepare in advance, ensuring your holiday or back-to-school surge isn’t just big, it’s profitable.

What works for electronics doesn’t work for groceries. Agencies that have experience in your category bring an edge. They understand shopper psychology, the keywords that matter, and the content formats that convert.

If you’re in consumables, they should know how repeat purchase behavior influences campaign strategy. If you’re in apparel, they should know the visual standards shoppers expect. Ask for examples specific to your category; it’s the quickest way to judge fit.

The best agencies don’t treat Walmart in isolation. They understand how it fits into your bigger picture. That means syncing messaging with social campaigns, coordinating with Amazon strategies, or ensuring retail media budgets are balanced.

For many brands, Walmart isn’t just another sales channel; it’s a cornerstone. Your agency should recognize that and build campaigns that support both short-term sales goals and long-term positioning.

Walmart’s marketplace is only getting more competitive. Shoppers are searching, comparing, and buying in real time, and brands that don’t invest in the right strategy risk fading into the background. Choosing the right agency isn’t about finding the cheapest option, it’s about finding a partner that understands your goals, speaks the language of your category, and can scale with you.