Optimizing for Wallaby: Best Practices for Walmart Sellers

Following the footsteps of Amazon with RUFUS & COSMO, Walmart is also leaning into to Generative AI to transform their shopping experience. At the forefront of this innovation is Wallaby, a series of retail-specific large language models (LLMs) designed to create hyper-personalized, convenient, and engaging customer interactions. For Walmart sellers, understanding and optimizing for Wallaby is essential to stay competitive and enhance product visibility. In this blog, we'll delve into what Wallaby is, explore the science behind it, and outline best practices to optimize your listings for this revolutionary AI tool.

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What Is Wallaby?

Wallaby is Walmart's proprietary set of retail-focused LLMs trained on decades of the company's rich data, including product information, customer interactions, and internal terminologies. This AI model understands how Walmart employees and customers communicate and is trained to respond in a natural tone that aligns with Walmart's core values of customer service. Wallaby is designed to power customer-facing experiences across Walmart stores, Sam's Clubs, apps, and virtual environments, enabling profoundly personal shopping experiences.

"A standard search bar is no longer the fastest path to purchase; rather, we must use technology to adapt to customers' individual preferences and needs," said Suresh Kumar, Global Chief Technology Officer and Chief Development Officer at Walmart Inc. "At the heart of our platform strategy is developing common global core capabilities that are built once and deployed across Walmart U.S., Sam’s Club, and Walmart International."

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The Science Behind Wallaby

At its core, Wallaby leverages advanced natural language processing (NLP) techniques inherent in large language models to interpret and generate human-like text. Trained on vast amounts of Walmart-specific data, Wallaby can understand and predict customer needs, preferences, and shopping behaviors. This training includes:

• Company-Specific Knowledge: Wallaby is infused with Walmart's unique terminologies, product catalogs, and corporate values, enabling it to interact in a manner consistent with the brand's identity.
• Customer Interaction Data: By analyzing historical customer queries, reviews, and purchasing patterns, Wallaby can generate personalized recommendations and responses.
• Multimodal Capabilities: Wallaby isn't limited to text; it integrates with other AI platforms like Retina, Walmart's augmented reality (AR) platform, to offer immersive shopping experiences.

This sophisticated AI infrastructure allows Wallaby to power applications like a more personalized Customer Support Assistant that recognizes customers instantly, understands their intent, and can take actions such as finding orders or managing returns. Additionally, Wallaby supports a Content Decision Platform that predicts the type of content each shopper would like to see, enabling Walmart to create unique homepages tailored to individual customers.

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Best Practices for Optimizing Your Listings for Wallaby

With Wallaby set to redefine the shopping experience, it's imperative for sellers to optimize their product listings to align with this new AI paradigm. Here are some best practices to ensure your products are discoverable and accurately represented:

1. Focus on Contextual and Rich Product Information

Move beyond traditional keyword stuffing and provide comprehensive, context-rich product descriptions. Wallaby understands nuanced language and appreciates detailed information that can help it match your products to the right customers.

• Detail Specifications: Include all relevant product details such as dimensions, materials, usage instructions, and care guidelines.
• Highlight Unique Selling Points: Clearly articulate what sets your product apart from competitors.
• Use Natural Language: Write descriptions in a conversational tone that mirrors how customers speak and inquire about products.

2. Enhance Product Descriptions with Customer-Centric Language

Wallaby is trained to prioritize customer needs and preferences. Tailor your product descriptions to address common customer questions and pain points.

• Answer Common Queries: Anticipate and answer questions customers might have about your product within the description.
• Use Customer Language: Incorporate phrases and terms that customers commonly use when searching for your products.

3. Leverage and Encourage Customer Reviews

Customer reviews are a goldmine of information for Wallaby, as it uses them to inform responses and recommendations.

• Encourage Reviews: Prompt satisfied customers to leave positive reviews.
• Respond to Feedback: Engage with customer reviews by responding to feedback, showing that you value their opinions.
• Analyze Reviews for Insights: Use customer feedback to refine your product listings and address any common concerns.

4. Optimize Visual Content for AR and Immersive Experiences

With Walmart investing in AR platforms like Retina, high-quality visual content is more important than ever.

• High-Resolution Images: Provide clear, high-resolution images from multiple angles.
• 3D Models and AR Compatibility: Consider offering 3D models of your products that can be used in AR experiences.
• Lifestyle Imagery: Include images that show your product in use to help customers visualize how it fits into their lives.

5. Align with Walmart's Policies and Core Values

Wallaby is trained to align with Walmart's corporate values, so ensuring your listings comply with Walmart's guidelines is crucial.

• Follow Listing Guidelines: Adhere strictly to Walmart's product listing requirements and content policies.
• Maintain Professionalism: Use appropriate language and avoid any content that could be considered offensive or misleading.
• Transparency: Be honest about product capabilities and limitations to build trust with customers

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Conclusion

Wallaby represents a significant advancement in how AI can enhance the retail experience for both customers and sellers. By understanding the science behind Wallaby and implementing these optimization strategies, you can ensure that your products are prominently featured and accurately represented in this new, personalized shopping environment. Embrace the change and position your business at the forefront of Walmart's Adaptive Retail revolution.

"Being people-led means we start with the human need, and often, a combination of technologies like AI, GenAI, AR, and Immersive Commerce, is key to the solution," said Suresh Kumar. "Our customers guide us, and with these platforms, we're ready for whatever they need."

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