What kind of designs are prohibited by Walmart?
Products with designs described below are prohibited from sale on Walmart marketplace. It is the seller’s responsibility to read and comply with the Walmart policies.
Intellectual property
Copyright
Prohibited:
- Any item that is, or contains, unauthorized copyrighted material
- Any item that uses copyrighted material in its imagery or item description
Trademark
A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol, or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of goods or services of one party from those of others. Examples of items that could be considered a trademark:
- Words
- Symbols
- Designs
Counterfeit products
Counterfeit products are prohibited from sale on Walmart’s Marketplace. Counterfeit products are inauthentic items that are intended to appear or sold as authentic. Walmart reserves the right to remove any item or content it believes to be counterfeit, and further reserve the right to take any additional measures it deems appropriate in handling a claim of counterfeit goods.
Prohibited:
- Apparel illegally replicated to appear authentic
- Apparel, cellular phones, handbags, and other items made to appear authentic, but are not.
Offensive content
Explicit/Adult content
Prohibited:
- Any product that features sexual acts or nude imagery for purposes of sexualization rather than artistic expression (particularly graphic and/or sexually explicit content)
- Images containing nudity that are not appropriate for Walmart’s Marketplace
- Items or products that are adult in nature, either by their content or purpose of use
- Products that display explicit sexual content meant to be sexually gratifying
- Products that inappropriately sexualize products or models
- Products that attempt to sexualize minors in any way
- Images of minors that are not fully clothed, or are shown in a compromising position
- Images containing nudity that have references to children or underage individuals, regardless of the model’s age
- Products that discuss or portray offensive gestures and activities, are overtly graphic or contain pornography
- Products marketed to or targeted toward kids or teenagers that are not age appropriate
Restricted:
- Compliant media, literature, or art (i.e. medical books, art books, etc.) containing nudity that is not overly realistic or graphic is generally allowed
- Historic/ancient art including canvas, sculptures, and paintings that contain nudity for artistic expression are generally allowed
- Products, such as intimate apparel or clothing, where the model’s genitals or private areas are covered or photo-shopped to be non-existent are generally acceptable if they are otherwise listed in an appropriate manner
Halloween items
Prohibited:
- Any apparel or items containing racial slurs or epithets, or depicting stereotypes that are derogatory toward a culture, ethnicity
- Apparel or items containing symbols of intolerance or imagery associated with any hate group that promotes intolerance
- Apparel or items containing anti-Semitic, racist, or mocking references or stereotypes of individuals based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability, religion, nationality, body image, or other characteristics of an individual, that is demeaning or condescending
- Apparel or items containing explicit violent imagery, or promoting such imagery
- Apparel or items conveying references or messaging intended to counter or mock initiatives promoting equality and inclusion.
- Apparel that creates a negative political environment or negative political imagery
- Offensive apparel that inappropriately references or makes light of tragic events, such as Covid-19-related apparel
- Apparel that is not age appropriate for the intended user, such as child apparel with drug or alcohol themes
- Apparel that is or contains sexually explicit content
Restricted:
- While apparel that depicts excessive gore and violence is prohibited, apparel that is not overly violent or depicts mainstream Halloween characters (i.e. vampires, monsters, zombies) is typically allowed.
- While apparel that contains overly sexualized or graphic imagery or innuendo is prohibited, other “sexy” apparel are generally allowed as long as they do not violate any other policy
- Halloween décor that is not overly violent or does not promote violence against others is allowed
Inappropriate content
Prohibited:
- Items containing vulgar language or are otherwise inappropriate
- Products that display vulgar acts or innuendo
- Products that promote illegal activity or praise inappropriate actions
- Other items Walmart determines to be inappropriate, obscene, or otherwise inconsistent its values
Restricted:
- Compliant media, literature, that may contain profanity may be allowed if the presentation of such items is not overly vulgar and does not promote vulgar behavior
- Profanity may be allowed in situations where it is part of a well-known colloquial phrase and not intended in a derogatory or offensive manner
- Items containing expletives where the image or item is edited to conceal the profanity is generally allowed
Intolerance
Prohibited:
- Any items containing racial slurs, epithets, or other stereotypes that are derogatory toward a culture or ethnicity
- Symbols of intolerance or terms that are historically associated with intolerance (e.g. slave tags, Confederate flag, Washington Redskins items, or Swastika)
- Items, media, or propaganda associated with Nazism, white supremacist groups, or any other hate groups which promote intolerance
- Items containing anti-Semitic, racist, or mocking references to an individual or group based on race, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability, religion, or nationality
- Items that contain characteristics of an individual or group that is demeaning or mocking
- Holocaust-related materials that either discount the event or support this or similar genocidal events
- Items containing phrases or messaging intended to counter or mock initiatives promoting equality and inclusion
- Items mocking or conveying intolerance of individuals based on weight or body image
- Costumes or materials that represent race, culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, disability, religion, or other characteristics in a demeaning manner
Restricted:
- Religious symbols are generally allowed, unless displayed on inappropriate items
- Religious items bearing a swastika image may be allowed only when the item specifically indicates it is in reference to that religion (i.e. Hindu or Buddhist peace symbols)
- Items from or about the Civil Rights Movement, or other movements that are supportive of the cause/promote inclusion are allowed, while negative treatment of the Civil Rights Movement is prohibited
Politics
Prohibited:
- Political items where the primary intent is to degrade, mock, or insult a candidate or political representative of a mainstream political group
- Items referencing popular memes, images, or comments that are derogatory of mainstream political figures
Restricted:
- Books, media, and merchandise referencing political figures in a historical manner are allowed
- Books and other media that give subjective opinions about political groups, individuals, or topics are allowed so long as the content is not overly offensive or inappropriate
Violence and tragedy
Prohibited:
- Products that either portray, glorify, or promote:
- Animal cruelty
- Tragic historical or newsworthy events
- Criminal or illegal activity
- Natural or man-made disasters
- Tragedy
- Violence, or other events violent in nature
- Items claiming to have been taken, or seeking profit from newsworthy events, such as natural disasters
- Items promoting, glorifying, or soliciting membership to any terrorist organizations
Restricted:
- Books, photos, or documents that discuss historical events, but do not glorify or promote them in an inappropriate manner may be allowed