Walmart reportedly mulling acquisition of R&A Data 

Walmart is reportedly in discussions to acquire R&A Data, a New York City-based firm that helps retailers screen listings on its marketplace for fraud and other compliance issues. CNBC first reported the possible deal, citing unnamed sources.

Walmart has not provided any comment on any possible deal. R&A Data has taken down its website in recent days.

The retail giant is working with R&A Data as a third-party vendor. The startup uses artificial intelligence to scan listings and provide online marketplaces with protection.

During Walmart’s earnings call on Thursday (Nov. 19), the company reported that marketplace growth worldwide helped fuel online sales increases of 27% compared to the same period last year.

As a marketplace grows its number of third-party sellers, so do the risks of counterfeiting and fraud, which is a growing problem in the online retail sector. Juniper Research reports that global online retail fraud losses were an estimated $48 billion in 2023 and are expected to reach $107 billion by 2029.

Following a recent CNBC report that cited 43 vendors used fake identities to sell on the retailer’s marketplace, Walmart released the following statement: “Counterfeiters are bad actors who target retail marketplaces across the world, and we are aggressive in our efforts to prevent and combat their deceptive behavior. We enforce a zero-tolerance policy for prohibited or noncompliant products and continue to invest in new tools and technologies to help ensure only trusted, legitimate items reach our customers.”