ONDC Network empowers one million marginalized sellers; creates a level playing field
ONDC’s mission for inclusivity has empowered over one million marginalized artisans, weavers and food processors; creating equal opportunities across 60 cities
The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is dedicated to fostering inclusivity and leveling the playing field for India’s marginalized communities, such as artisans, weavers, and food processors. With an unwavering commitment to this mission, ONDC has achieved remarkable milestones.
The ONDC Network has transformed the lives of more than 300 social sector sellers across 18 states and in over 60 cities. It has successfully bridged geographical, economic, and digital divides, connecting artisans, weavers, and small sellers with consumers nationwide.
Since the beginning of 2023, the Network has processed over 5,000 orders in the social sector domain — a category dedicated to onboarding and showcasing products from underserved sellers and communities. Each order indicates an increasing demand for authentic and unique products offered by these sellers. More importantly, it is a testament to the untapped potential of artisans, weavers, and small-scale sellers, who have now been empowered to access a broader market.
Currently, the Network showcases approximately 7,000 unique products and has successfully introduced over 265 sellers to digital commerce by onboarding them onto the Network. These sellers had no prior presence on any e-commerce platform. These efforts have made e-commerce accessible to an estimated one million artisans, weavers and food processors, providing them with a digital stage to display their work, generate income, and secure their livelihoods.
A noteworthy success story within the ONDC Network is the Kanchipuram weavers, who, since becoming a part of the Network, have fulfilled over 700 orders, resulting in a total transaction value exceeding 21 lakhs.
T Koshy, MD & CEO at ONDC, said, “ONDC’s commitment to providing a level playing field for India’s underserved communities aligns with the vision of Digital India and stands as confirmation of the transformative power of digital commerce in bringing social change. Our driving force is to ensure that the benefits of the network reach those who have been missing from the digital commerce revolution. In an era where technology has the potential to reshape industries and empower marginalized communities, we stand as a beacon of change, forging an inclusive path to a brighter, more equitable future for all.”
ONDC Network’s buyer app, Mystore, has played a pivotal role in empowering these unique sellers. Amazing India, a dedicated section within Mystore, serves as a one-stop-shop celebrating India’s cultural diversity. This section hosts more than 300 stores offering a wide range of products, including fashion and gourmet items.
Kriti Aggarwal, Co-Founder of Mystore, highlighted how the Mystore and ONDC initiative will benefit social sector sellers. She said, “The ONDC Network offers a much-needed digital commerce launchpad for social sector sellers. As a dedicated tech-enabler Network Participant of ONDC, Mystore has designed an ONDC Protocol-compatible, tech-enabled, feature-rich, and user-friendly platform for sellers across various categories. Mystore’s seller admin panel is entirely do-it-yourself and user-friendly, even for sellers who are not tech-savvy. Sellers can effortlessly manage their catalogs and fulfillment using Mystore’s multilingual admin panel, dedicated support, and streamlined onboarding processes. With Mystore, even novice sellers can register and begin selling on the ONDC Network within days.”
Similarly, Paytm, a buyer app on the ONDC Network, has introduced My India Store dedicated to showcasing products from social sector sellers.
The mission has garnered the support of organizations such as SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India), BMGF (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor – World Bank), Sattva Consultancy, Samhita, SEWA Cooperative Federation, Mann Deshi Foundation, Tata Trust, TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute), and NASSCOM Foundation. Together, they are driving change and creating opportunities for the underserved.
The ONDC Network’s influence has also extended to include six state handicraft emporiums and seven Kerala Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), further bolstering ONDC Network’s reach and impact.
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About ONDC
Incorporated on 31st December 2021, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a Section 8 company, is an initiative of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, envisioned to create a facilitative model to revolutionise digital commerce, giving greater thrust to penetration of retail e-commerce in India. ONDC is not an application, platform, intermediary, or software but a set of specifications designed to foster open, unbundled, and interoperable open networks, thereby eliminating the dependency on a single platform. Major ONDC objectives are as follows:
- Democratisation and decentralisation of eCommerce
- Inclusivity and access for sellers, especially small and medium enterprises as well as local businesses
- Increased choices and independence for consumers
