# Retail Reason

> Retail Reason Intelligence is a maintained, context-aware operating guidance service for Walmart and Sam's Club supplier teams, U.S. Walmart Marketplace sellers, and the brokers and agencies that support them. Use private Retail Reason chat without a separate AI subscription, or connect a supported assistant. Bring the question, plan, draft, operating context, or authorized file you have; Retail Reason helps identify what applies, what the available information cannot support, and what to check next. Chat shows file references and guidance verification dates when available. Connected guidance responses include an as-of date and confidence class. Retail Reason does not connect to retailer accounts, retrieve portal data, inspect a live dashboard, or take action in a retailer system. Written and maintained by Matt Drake, a practicing retail advisor. Retail Reason is a product owned and operated by Startup Success Lab LLC, a Missouri limited liability company and the seller of record. Independent; not affiliated with Walmart Inc.

## Product
- [Home](https://retailreason.com/): what Retail Reason is and who it is for, why a general assistant is not enough, how it works, one real answer per lane, complete public answers, entry pricing, and common questions
- [How it works](https://retailreason.com/how-it-works/): mechanics, what it is and is not, and the confidence classes defined
- [Coverage](https://retailreason.com/coverage/): supplier operations, Scintilla, Sam's Club, Marketplace, Walmart Connect, ProSpec, and technical workflows, with examples and public articles
- [Pricing](https://retailreason.com/pricing/): six plan prices and caps, four fixed self-serve paths, three assisted paths including custom, annual at 11 monthly payments, no public trial, refunds, and usage states
- [About](https://retailreason.com/about/): who builds and maintains it, and what happens if it ever stops
- [Chat and files](https://retailreason.com/docs/chat/): private chat, selected workspaces, saved and temporary conversations, supported uploads, file analysis, downloads, and limits
- [Connect](https://retailreason.com/docs/connect/): Current supported clients, ChatGPT availability and setup scope, account sign-in, personal access keys, workspace selection, connection help, rotation and revocation.
- [Documentation](https://retailreason.com/docs/): chat, files, optional assistant connections, accounts, workspaces, usage, and troubleshooting guidance
- [Using the tools](https://retailreason.com/docs/tools/): how to ask operating questions, check plans, and supply the context that can change an answer
- [Troubleshooting](https://retailreason.com/docs/troubleshooting/): connection, authentication, workspace, access-key, and service-error help

## Audience paths
- [Walmart suppliers](https://retailreason.com/for/walmart-suppliers/): maintained guidance for supplier systems, Scintilla and reporting, replenishment, payments, compliance, transportation, and merchant preparation
- [U.S. Walmart Marketplace sellers](https://retailreason.com/for/walmart-marketplace-sellers/): guidance for listings, pricing and Buy Box, fulfillment, performance, returns, payouts, fees, growth, and integrations
- [Brokers and agencies](https://retailreason.com/for/brokers-and-agencies/): separately provisioned client workspaces and plans for firms supporting supplier or Marketplace clients
- [Sam's Club suppliers](https://retailreason.com/for/sams-club-suppliers/): dedicated Sam's Club operating guidance; Walmart systems and assumptions are not reused where they do not apply

## Articles
- [Walmart issued this PO. Why can't I find it in Supplier One?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-purchase-order-missing-supplier-one/): Locate a known issued PO using its agreement, order class and reproducible search. Includes a fictional filter comparison and a short support note.
- [Why won't my Scintilla report download?](https://retailreason.com/articles/scintilla-report-wont-download/): Separate report generation, download, file opening and data freshness. Includes diagnostic branches and a fictional run-and-file timeline.
- [Walmart approved our deduction dispute. Why haven't we received the credit?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-approved-deduction-dispute-missing-credit/): Follow a confirmed AP dispute decision into credit, application and remittance evidence. Includes a worked reconciliation and comparison downloads.
- [Our Walmart cost change was approved. Why do POs still show the old cost?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-cost-change-po-old-cost/): Compare actual cost approval, effective basis, item scope and PO version. Includes a fictional three-order comparison and downloadable sheets.
- [Why doesn't my Walmart PO quantity match our case pack?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-po-quantity-case-pack-mismatch/): Confirm the PO unit and pack configuration, then reconcile ordered and proposed sellable units. Includes a worked case-and-inner-pack example.
- [Why is my Supplier One content update still missing from Walmart.com?](https://retailreason.com/articles/supplier-one-content-update-not-live/): Trace a submitted content attribute through the catalog and live item page. Includes a fictional field comparison and a focused review request.
- [Walmart's demand forecast is higher than our POs. Which number should we plan around?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-demand-forecast-vs-purchase-orders/): Compare customer demand, projected orders and issued POs on a documented basis. Includes a fictional quantity comparison and an internal planning record.
- [We entered our warehouse closure. Why are Walmart orders still arriving?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-warehouse-closure-orders-still-arriving/): Match a closure to its facility, lane, dates and order flow. Includes a fictional timeline separating existing orders, manual orders and event evidence.
- [Why is my Walmart EDI invoice acknowledged but missing from Accounts Payable?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-edi-invoice-not-in-accounts-payable/): Distinguish a matched syntax acknowledgment from invoice-specific AP processing and payment evidence. Includes a short note and a completed fictional example.
- [We sent the ASN. Why does Walmart say "No ASN Received"?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-no-asn-received/): Trace the exact warehouse shipment through transmission, receipt and ASN processing evidence. Includes a blank investigation note and a fictional mismatched-acknowledgment example.
- [Why do the same Walmart deductions keep coming back?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-recurring-deductions/): Connect claims to transaction evidence, distinguish errors from expected charges, and track prevention separately from claim outcomes. Includes a blank worksheet.
- [We have inventory. Why are Walmart stores still out of stock?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-inventory-store-out-of-stock/): Trace supplier, DC and store inventory with dated evidence and a physical availability check. Includes a Basic reporting path and a blank worksheet.
- [Why is my Supplier One item setup stuck?](https://retailreason.com/articles/supplier-one-item-setup-stuck/): Use the Submission ID and item status to distinguish data corrections, approvals and technical failures. Includes an evidence checklist.
- [Why don't Scintilla Boards and Channel Insights sales match?](https://retailreason.com/articles/scintilla-sales-report-mismatch/): Reconcile the metric, dates, products, channels, card settings and freshness for a Charter sales comparison. Includes a blank worksheet.
- [Walmart Scintilla Basic vs Charter: what does each tier actually include?](https://retailreason.com/articles/scintilla-basic-vs-charter/): Basic is Report Builder over your own Channel Performance data; Charter adds Channel Insights, Boards, Shopper Behavior, Customer Perception, sharing, and integrations, verified September 2026
- [What is Walmart deduction code 22, and how do you dispute it?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-deduction-code-22/): Code 22 is Goods Billed Not Shipped; dispute it in APDP through Retail Link with carrier-signed proof of the PO and billed case quantities, verified September 2026
- [Supplier One vs Retail Link: which Walmart portal owns what?](https://retailreason.com/articles/supplier-one-vs-retail-link/): Supplier One owns day-to-day items, POs, ship points, deductions, payments, and performance; Retail Link stays the identity layer with EBS, Vendor Scorecard, APIS, and APDP, verified September 2026
- [How do Walmart weeks work? WM weeks, quarters, and the 53-week year](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-week-calendar/): Walmart supplier weeks run Saturday to Friday. The week year ends on January’s last Friday; WMYYWW is year plus week. Future dates require retailer confirmation, verified September 2026.
- [Why is your Walmart Marketplace listing unpublished?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-listing-unpublished/): Seller Center names the reason under Catalog, then Unpublished Items; it is content, compliance, pricing, or performance, and that reason sets the fix, verified September 2026
- [How do you dispute a Walmart chargeback?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-chargeback-dispute-routing/): Identify the AP claim, Walmart-issued bill or post-audit notice. Confirm its route, eligibility, deadline and evidence. A prefix alone does not establish the route. Reviewed September 13, 2026.
- [Why did Walmart stop paying us? Investigating a confirmed debit balance](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-stopped-paying-debit-balance/): Reconcile a confirmed balance, separate posted credits from pending disputes, and establish what affects payment. Includes a fictional example. Reviewed September 13, 2026.
- [Why doesn't your Walmart Marketplace payout match your sales?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-marketplace-payout-mismatch/): Settlement reports mix data grains, commissions and marketplace-facilitator tax; payout timing follows shipment. Reconcile by amount type and settlement window, verified September 2026
- [Why did Walmart stop ordering your item? Status, stores and PO checks](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-stopped-ordering-item/): Compare POs, status, inventory, forecasts and store records. Traited and valid are status-based counts, not proof of shelf placement or issued orders. Revised September 13, 2026.
- [How does an agency get Scintilla access, and does it need Verified Service Provider status first?](https://retailreason.com/articles/agency-scintilla-access/): Supplier sponsors the firm; it holds Verified Service Provider status and signs an SPAA. Each person gets credentials under the firm’s account, verified September 2026
- [Can I pull Sam’s Club member data in Scintilla?](https://retailreason.com/articles/sams-club-data-in-scintilla/): No: Scintilla is Walmart-banner data until the announced 2027 Sam’s Club expansion ships; use Retail Link under the Sam’s vendor number and MADRID 2.0, verified September 2026
- [Did the Walmart Rollback work for the supplier? What to close before you call it a win](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-rollback-wrap-up/): A Rollback clears only when unit growth outpaces the AUR decline with penny profit held; ROAS is click-date credit, and the OTIF charge bills after the quarter ends, verified September 2026
- [What does Walmart Marketplace's holiday return window change for sellers in Q4 2026?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-marketplace-holiday-return-window/): Most Marketplace purchases October 1–December 31, 2026 are returnable through January 31, 2027, with category exceptions; seller-fulfilled and WFS orders are covered, verified September 2026.
- [How do you connect or reauthorize a solution provider in Walmart Seller Center?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-seller-center-solution-provider-reauthorization/): Use Apps, App Listings, then Connect for a scoped OAuth grant; renew yearly in Connected Apps. Existing Delegated Access keys end in September 2026, verified September 2026.
- [Listing Quality vs Content Quality: which report tells you what to fix?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-listing-quality-vs-content-quality-reports/): Listing Quality routes the issue; Content Quality identifies attribute edits. Confirm the current offer, assign an owner, and keep sales separate from expanded issue rows, verified September 2026.
- [Why did Walmart Connect ROAS fall?](https://retailreason.com/articles/walmart-connect-roas-decline-diagnosis/): Align the report basis, separate click cost, orders per click, and sales per order, then inspect offer health and spend mix before choosing a change, verified September 2026.
- [Why is my WFS shipment delivered but inventory not available to sell?](https://retailreason.com/articles/wfs-shipment-delivered-inventory-unavailable/): As of September 2026, a WFS carrier delivery scan does not prove inventory is available to sell, verified September 2026
- [Articles index](https://retailreason.com/articles/): every article carries a visible last-verified date

## Free tools
- [Free tools and worksheets](https://retailreason.com/tools/): calendars, calculators and comparison sheets for supplier payments, costs, inventory, item setup, Scintilla and Marketplace; includes fictional examples and related guides, with no signup required
- [Walmart fiscal calendar](https://retailreason.com/tools/walmart-fiscal-calendar/): FY2026–28 Saturday-to-Friday weeks, CSV and Excel downloads, and a printable table. The week year ends on January’s last Friday; FY2027–28 dates are calculated, subject to retailer confirmation.
- [Walmart week converter](https://retailreason.com/tools/walmart-week-converter/): WM week (WMYYWW) to calendar date and back
- [Advisory cost calculator](https://retailreason.com/tools/advisory-cost-calculator/): what the quick-question layer of advisory time costs
- [Comp week finder](https://retailreason.com/tools/comp-week-finder/): last year's same-numbered WM week, the calendar drift, and holiday alignment
- [Dispute ROI calculator](https://retailreason.com/tools/dispute-roi-calculator/): dispute a deduction yourself, hand it to a firm, or write it off, priced from your own inputs

## Changes
- [September 2026 digest](https://retailreason.com/changelog/2026-09/): selected changes and deadlines from August 1 through September 6, 2026, with sources and next decisions

## Trust
- [Limitations](https://retailreason.com/limitations/): known gaps, stated plainly
- [Current verification index](https://retailreason.com/changelog/): the latest recorded verification date on every public article; a current index, not an append-only release history or continuous-monitoring claim
- [Security](https://retailreason.com/security/): where your data goes
- [Privacy](https://retailreason.com/privacy/): what is processed, retained, disclosed, and controlled
- [Subprocessors](https://retailreason.com/subprocessors/): the named providers, their limited purposes, and independent AI-client processing
- [Status](https://retailreason.com/status/): manually maintained public incident notices; not automated uptime telemetry
- [Terms](https://retailreason.com/terms/): billing, first-purchase refund, renewal grace, advisor guests, suspension, closure, and retention
- [Acceptable use and refunds](https://retailreason.com/acceptable-use/): permitted use, extraction controls, public usage states, suspension, and refund process
- [Press kit](https://retailreason.com/press/): boilerplate at three lengths, a fact sheet, five talking points, logo files, and the founder photograph; every fact is public elsewhere on the site
- [Vendor facts](https://retailreason.com/vendor/): procurement facts, security posture, billing terms, and how to request current insurance, questionnaire, or DPA details
- [Trademarks](https://retailreason.com/trademarks/): Named retailer and AI-provider marks belong to their owners and identify the systems and clients discussed. Retail Reason is independent of those owners.