ONDC network starts beta testing with consumers in Bengaluru

In a significant milestone, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), an initiative of the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has opened its network to consumers in 16 locations across the city of Bengaluru, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Friday.

Published on: Oct 1, 2022, 09:36:07 IST

ANIPosted by Yamini C S

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

In a significant milestone, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), an initiative of the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has opened its network to consumers in 16 locations across the city of Bengaluru, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Friday.

To begin with, consumers can place their orders in two domains - groceries and restaurants through buyer apps participating on the ONDC network.

ONDC's beta test in the city of Bengaluru is a major first step in operationalising a network approach to e-commerce as an alternative to a platform-centric approach. This will make the e-Commerce landscape more inclusive, accessible and experience-driven for all consumers and sellers, the ministry said.

READ | Centre’s Open Network for Digital Commerce opens on pilot basis in Bengaluru

Consumers can now shop from multiple categories of products and services from a single buyer application of their choice. They can buy grocery products or order food from stores and restaurants. In the coming weeks, many more applications will join the network expanding both buyers and sellers who can participate in this transaction.

ONDC started its Alpha test phase with a closed user group of buyers first in Bengaluru in April 2022 expanding to more than 80 cities by September 2022. This validated the apps and confirmed business and operational flows. Now in beta testing phase, general public can experience shopping via ONDC and provide early feedback for necessary action if any before expanding further.

READ | Bengaluru consumers to experience, shape ONDC's new e-commerce revolution

To build trust amongst consumers, sellers and Network Participants (Buyer Apps, Seller Apps & Gateways) in the open network, ONDC has consulted current ecosystem, experts and examined best practices for adapting and evolving the best approach to build trust in an unbundled decentralised network. This is explained in a consultation paper that is being made available for public consultation on the official social media handles of DPIIT, ONDC and the website.

Incorporated on 31st December 2021, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a Section 8 company is an initiative of the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce, 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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

Get the latest City News, local updates, weather alerts and breaking stories from Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and other major cities across India on Hindustan Times.