BENTONVILLE, ARK. — Walmart Inc. has partnered with Shopify to launch Walmart Marketplace, an integrated platform that will allow Shopify sellers to list items on Walmart.com, expanding the assortment of products and emerging brands available to Walmart shoppers.

More than 1 million businesses use Ottawa-based Shopify’s e-commerce channel to sell products online. Walmart is focused on US-based small and medium businesses with a complementary product offering and strong track record, said Jeff Clementz, vice president of Walmart Marketplace.

“Growing our Marketplace is a strategic priority, and we are going to be smart as we grow,” Clementz said. “We will start integrating new sellers now and expect to add 1,200 Shopify sellers this year. Shopify has a long history of helping small businesses leverage scale, and we’re proud to be part of the solution that is helping customers and other retailers.”

Walmart’s US e-commerce business grew 74% in the latest quarter as shoppers stayed home to slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The retailer in recent years has evolved its buying model to stock more emerging and specialty brands on its shelves to match changing consumer tastes. The partnership with Shopify will broaden visibility of smaller businesses to the more than 120 million monthly visitors at Walmart.com, according to Shopify.

“At Shopify, we’re focused on helping entrepreneurs go from just an idea to becoming thriving, scalable businesses,” said Satish Kanwar, vice president of product at Shopify. “By partnering with Walmart, we will be able to connect merchants with consumers across America within a trusted marketplace, helping merchants drive new sales while consumers discover new products they’ll love.

“Our expertise in multi-channel commerce, combined with Walmart’s reach, will allow us to create better online shopping experiences for merchants and consumers alike.”