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Walmart 's online marketplace has become a key part of its strategy to grow profit faster than sales and better compete against its longtime rival, Amazon .
As the largest U.S. retailer with more than 4,600 locations nationwide, growing sales online is also critical for its future.
But a CNBC investigation found Walmart's digital boom came as it made it easier for third-party sellers to join and sell on its marketplace, a strategy that has come with a cost.
Some consumers have received counterfeit , potentially dangerous products after shopping on the marketplace, CNBC found. The investigation also uncovered dozens of third-party sellers who had stolen the credentials of another business to