ONDC To Start Outreach Program For MSMEs

Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) on Friday said that it will be initiating an outreach program inviting sellers and MSMEs for interactive sessions on ONDC and how it can help accelerate their business.

The government-backed network will host events across India to introduce businesses the ONDC set-up and how it can accelerate their business growth. First of the sessions of outreach from ONDC will be in Delhi/NCR for restaurants, food entrepreneurs and cloud kitchens.

The non-profit entity will be conducting a session in association with NRAI (National Restaurant Association of India) on 17 October 2022, from 2PM – 6 PM at India Habitat Centre in New Delhi.

In a statement, Shireesh Joshi, Chief Business Officer, ONDC said, “As a government-backed initiative, our sole focus is to create equal opportunities, especially for MSMEs. With our open network, businesses of every size have a chance to get discovered by their target audience.” 

The announcement from ONDC comes on the heels of Beta testing in Bengaluru, which has received a lukewarm response so far. 

“We wish to reach as many entrepreneurs, small businesses, local brands, etc. The F&B category is a very important category for us, given its almost daily reach to consumers. This introductory session will be a good starting point for all the interested parties who want to join our network in the future”, added Joshi.

ONDC was launched earlier this year with the aim of making e-Commerce more inclusive and accessible for consumers. Through the network, consumers are expected to potentially discover any seller, product or service by using any compatible application or platform, thus increasing freedom of choice for consumers. It will enable the consumers to match demand with the nearest available supply.

The network got an alpha launch in five cities in April and it has been testing with a closed user group for end-to-end execution to understand their fulfilment. The initiative looks to give consumers the liberty to choose their preferred local businesses.