With the mobility sector leading the charge and the F&B category rapidly growing, ONDC is reshaping India’s digital marketplace, attracting top brands and expanding its global reach.
In a significant milestone for India’s digital commerce landscape, the government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has facilitated an impressive 49.79 million transactions since its formal launch in January of the previous year. The mobility sector leads the charge in this digital revolution, with ride-hailing apps like Namma Yatri accounting for more than half of the total monthly orders. However, the Food and Beverage (F&B) category is rapidly gaining traction in terms of volume and its share in the overall transaction pie.
Noteworthy among the brands that have joined the ONDC bandwagon are culinary giants such as Wow Momo, McDonald’s, and Domino’s Pizza in the F&B sector. Additionally, the network has attracted major players from the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, including Manico, Procter & Gamble (P&G), and Hindustan Unilever Limited. Besides Namma Yatri, the Kochi Open Mobility Network and Ola have also come on board in the mobility domain.
A closer look at the order volumes and category-wise distribution reveals that the non-mobility space is diversifying. As of March this year, F&B constituted 9.55% of the total monthly orders, followed by fashion (6.74%), grocery (4.47%), and home and kitchen (3.91%). Other categories such as electronics and beauty and personal care collectively accounted for 21.89% of the orders.
The growth of ONDC is not just limited to transaction volumes. The network has seen a substantial increase in the number of sellers, from 8,500 in January of the previous year to over 380,000 now, with non-mobility sectors contributing 105,000 of these. The number of network participants has also expanded from 24 to 81. Moreover, the network has broadened its scope from three domain categories to 13, enhancing its reach and inclusivity.
The impact of ONDC’s expansion is also evident at the grassroots level, with the number of cities or districts generating more than 100 orders per month escalating to 622 in March. This widespread adoption is further supported by major buyer apps such as Paytm, Snapdeal, Magicpin, Pincode, Mystore, Rapidor, NoBrokerHood, Ola, and nStore, which are facilitating seamless transactions for consumers across the country. This journey of ONDC underscores the potential of digital commerce in revolutionizing the way India shops and does business, paving the way for a more inclusive and accessible digital marketplace.
