Walmart eCommerce Voted “Best College
Campaign” Ahead of Target

Walmart eCommerce, $1+ Billion business

Opportunity

Walmart’s eCommerce business saw an opportunity to expand its seasonal marketing efforts by launching a “Back to College” campaign that targeted:

  • A different demographic than Walmart Stores’ traditional “Back to School” campaigns.

  • A new customer need, with higher price-point products such as dorm furnishings, electronics, and other college essentials.

The goal was to drive eCommerce sales growth by addressing the unique shopping behaviors of parents and teens preparing for college.

The Solution

To capture this market, Walmart executed a strategic, customer-focused campaign:

1. Curated, Relevant
Assortment

  • Helped moms and teens easily find everything needed for college living, featuring curated assortments across high-value categories like furniture, dorm décor, bedding, storage, bath essentials & electronics.

2. Cohesive Digital Marketing Strategy

  • Aligned digital marketing channels — including Paid Search, SEO, Affiliates & Email — around cohesive campaign messaging.

3. Early Launch for Seasonal Readiness

  • Kicked off the campaign in July, ahead of competitors, ensuring customers were ready for August and September semester start-dates.

4. Resonant Campaign Messaging

  • Developed creative messaging that spoke directly to the needs and emotions of parents and teens preparing for a major life milestone.

The Outcome

The campaign delivered exceptional results, positioning Walmart as a category leader:

30% year-over-year growth for the Back-to-College campaign.

Exceeded sales plan, driving significant eCommerce revenue growth.

Voted “Best College Campaign” by consumers, beating Target, a key competitor.

Summary Impact

Through a customer-centric strategy, impactful messaging & clean execution, Walmart’s eCommerce business seized a critical seasonal opportunity to drive breakthrough sales growth. This seasonal campaign performance strengthened its competitive position against Target, one of its biggest competitors.

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