Centre’s e-com platform ONDC goes live across 16 Bengaluru pincodes

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), an ambitious project of the Centre, conceived to reduce the dominance of e-commerce giants and empower small retailers, went live on a pilot basis across 16 pincodes in Bengaluru on Friday (September 30).

Through this platform, consumers can potentially discover any seller, product or service by using any ONDC-compatible application or platform, thus increasing freedom of choice for consumers.

Reports said that around 497 sellers and 17 apps went live on the platform on the first day, listing as many as 1 lakh products across the two categories of grocery and food and beverages (including from restaurants).

Also read: How ONDC seeks to bring Amazon, Flipkart on even keel with kiranas

In a tweet, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) said that more apps will be incorporated in the website soon and the experience gained from the beta testing of the project in Bengaluru will be used to make further improvements to the platform.

“#ONDC starts beta testing in Bengaluru today, with 3 buyer apps, 11 seller apps, 3 logistics providers across 16 pin codes for grocery and food domains. Many more apps are in the process of joining the network. Valuable experience to be gained for further improvements,” DPIIT said.

Anil Agarwal, Additional Secretary of the department said that the government is currently fine tuning a few processes and technologies related to the platform and plans to add 20 more apps to it.

Other reports said that the platform will soon integrate 570 more sellers.

Reports said around 161 orders were placed on the platform till 5.30 pm of Friday – 59 of them were delivered on the same day while the rest are in the process of being delivered. So far, the government start-up has introduced only two categories – grocery products and food – on the platform.

How can Bengalureans place orders?

Buyers in Bengaluru can order groceries and food from the platform by logging in to buyer apps that are part of the ONDC network – these are Mystore, PayTM, and Spicemoney.

Unlike e-commerce majors like Amazon or Flipkart, the government’s platform will separately host buyer and seller apps.

Consumers in Bengaluru will able to order food from restaurants or buy grocery items from stores that are enabled by at least 11 seller apps. These are nStore, SellerApp, Digiit, e-Samudaay, Bizom, Go Frugal, eVitralrx, Ushop, Innobits, Growth Falcons and Uengage.

The platform has tied up with Dunzo, Loadshare, and Shiprocket to aid with the delivery part of the process.

While Protean eGov Technologies Ltd is handling the payment gateway service now, the government will soon rope in HDFC Bank, IDFC Bank, Kotak Bank and eKart for the same.

Ahead of the launch of the beta version of the e-commerce platform, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal termed it as a “democratic and cost-effective” process which will empower both the buyer and the retailer, especially small businesses.

“Bengaluru consumers to get a whole new shopping experience! Beta testing of the govt’s revolutionary Open Network For Digital Commerce to begin from tomorrow.  It is democratic, cost-effective and empowers buyers and small businesses,” Piyush Goyal said in a tweet.

Also read: Microsoft joins govt’s ONDC to launch social e-commerce in Indian market

The ministry in April launched the pilot phase of the ONDC, a UPI-type protocol, in five cities Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Shillong and Coimbatore. People were allowed to do transactions in these cities. As many as 20 organisations of national repute have confirmed investments of ₹255 crore into ONDC.

Lenders such as State Bank of India, UCO Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Bank of Baroda have already committed investments. The initiative is aimed at curbing the dominance of two large multinational e-commerce players, which control more than half of the country’s e-commerce trading, limit access to the market, and give preferential treatment to certain sellers and squeeze supplier margins.

ONDC received its certificate of incorporation as a private sector-led non-profit company on December 31, 2021.

(With inputs from agencies)