Walmart implements surprise restrictions on beauty products, leaving sellers scrambling
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Walmart shoppers browsing beauty products online may notice certain items missing without explanation.
Behind the scenes, a sweeping internal shift has drastically altered how products in this category are handled.
The retailer quietly rolled out a policy change that disrupted thousands of listings in a matter of days. Marketplace sellers, many caught off guard, are now scrambling to respond.
Walmart confirmed it has restricted beauty and personal care product listings, targeting unverified sellers in a move to strengthen consumer safety.
Only brand owners and authorized distributors are now allowed to sell in the affected categories. Marketplace vendors were notified of the crackdown earlier this month, but many say the implementation was immediate and unforgiving.
According to sellers, thousands of product listings were removed with no warning or grace period. The retailer’s updated Prohibited Products Policy now requires extensive documentation from sellers—including authorization letters and third-party safety certifications.
Sellers must also prove they have maturity in the beauty category, which means experience, compliance history, and established credibility.
These requirements are part of Walmart’s broader effort to prevent counterfeits and mislabeled goods from reaching customers.
Though the company said these products represent a small portion of listings, it emphasized that the potential health risks warrant aggressive action.
Several vendors have shared the impact online, revealing large portions of their inventory vanished overnight.
One seller reported 1,766 listing errors within hours, while another saw over 450 beauty products removed from their catalog.
Also read: Walmart employee stunned by overnight 100% price jump on popular seafood item
A third Marketplace vendor claimed more than 80% of their store’s inventory was wiped out. “No warning. It’s crazy,” wrote one seller, while another posted, “I feel like I’m going to vomit.”
Walmart’s Marketplace includes millions of third-party listings, many of which fall under high-risk categories.
In recent weeks, similar removals have occurred in other sections, including pet ingestibles, toys, baby consumables, and dietary supplements.
Unlike Amazon, which typically gives sellers a 30-day transition period before enforcement, Walmart’s change was immediate. “This is unprecedented in its suddenness and severity,” wrote Jimmy Smith, an advisor to online businesses.
AI-powered monitoring is now being used to detect and flag potentially noncompliant products in real time. Walmart says its system proactively removes listings that pose safety risks, and the company has pledged to reinstate items mistakenly flagged.
A spokesperson told The US Sun, “We continually enhance our marketplace policies and regularly remove items that violate our policies. “
“If we discover that a seller’s items have been removed in error, we proactively work with the seller to quickly restore their listings.”
The real-world consequences have sellers questioning whether Walmart has made the platform too restrictive.
Also read: Walmart responds to new tariffs: which prices go up and which stay locked in
One vendor said they were “disgusted” after losing half of their store’s products, while another pointed out that the policy affected even basic items like lip gloss and lotion.
Though aimed at protecting consumers, the new rules are forcing smaller sellers to consider whether staying on the platform is worth the effort.
Many are now searching for alternative ways to reach customers without facing sudden and unexplained removals.
Read next: Safety alert: Major products sold at Walmart recalled over deadly hazards
Are you a frequent Walmart shopper or seller who’s noticed items disappearing? Drop your thoughts in the comments—should more platforms follow Walmart’s lead or offer better seller protections?
Behind the scenes, a sweeping internal shift has drastically altered how products in this category are handled.
The retailer quietly rolled out a policy change that disrupted thousands of listings in a matter of days. Marketplace sellers, many caught off guard, are now scrambling to respond.
Walmart confirmed it has restricted beauty and personal care product listings, targeting unverified sellers in a move to strengthen consumer safety.
Only brand owners and authorized distributors are now allowed to sell in the affected categories. Marketplace vendors were notified of the crackdown earlier this month, but many say the implementation was immediate and unforgiving.
According to sellers, thousands of product listings were removed with no warning or grace period. The retailer’s updated Prohibited Products Policy now requires extensive documentation from sellers—including authorization letters and third-party safety certifications.
Sellers must also prove they have maturity in the beauty category, which means experience, compliance history, and established credibility.
Walmart implements surprise restrictions on beauty products, leaving sellers scrambling. Image source: Oberon Copeland / Unsplash
These requirements are part of Walmart’s broader effort to prevent counterfeits and mislabeled goods from reaching customers.
Though the company said these products represent a small portion of listings, it emphasized that the potential health risks warrant aggressive action.
Several vendors have shared the impact online, revealing large portions of their inventory vanished overnight.
One seller reported 1,766 listing errors within hours, while another saw over 450 beauty products removed from their catalog.
Also read: Walmart employee stunned by overnight 100% price jump on popular seafood item
A third Marketplace vendor claimed more than 80% of their store’s inventory was wiped out. “No warning. It’s crazy,” wrote one seller, while another posted, “I feel like I’m going to vomit.”
Walmart’s Marketplace includes millions of third-party listings, many of which fall under high-risk categories.
In recent weeks, similar removals have occurred in other sections, including pet ingestibles, toys, baby consumables, and dietary supplements.
Unlike Amazon, which typically gives sellers a 30-day transition period before enforcement, Walmart’s change was immediate. “This is unprecedented in its suddenness and severity,” wrote Jimmy Smith, an advisor to online businesses.
AI-powered monitoring is now being used to detect and flag potentially noncompliant products in real time. Walmart says its system proactively removes listings that pose safety risks, and the company has pledged to reinstate items mistakenly flagged.
A spokesperson told The US Sun, “We continually enhance our marketplace policies and regularly remove items that violate our policies. “
“If we discover that a seller’s items have been removed in error, we proactively work with the seller to quickly restore their listings.”
The real-world consequences have sellers questioning whether Walmart has made the platform too restrictive.
Also read: Walmart responds to new tariffs: which prices go up and which stay locked in
One vendor said they were “disgusted” after losing half of their store’s products, while another pointed out that the policy affected even basic items like lip gloss and lotion.
Though aimed at protecting consumers, the new rules are forcing smaller sellers to consider whether staying on the platform is worth the effort.
Many are now searching for alternative ways to reach customers without facing sudden and unexplained removals.
Read next: Safety alert: Major products sold at Walmart recalled over deadly hazards
