ONDC will Rolls Out Seller Scoring and Expands to New categories

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is currently in the beta testing phase in the cities of Bengaluru and Meerut and is implementing a system for scoring sellers based on various factors such as their ability to resolve complaints. The network is also planning to expand its offerings to include new categories such as home decor, fashion, beauty and personal care products.

Koshy, the MD and CEO of ONDC, stated, "By March, we will begin a network-wide scoring system for sellers that will be publicly available for consumers to view. This system will take into account feedback on transactions and the performance of sellers, including how well they handle grievances. Our team is currently working on this feature and it will continue to evolve over time. This network-wide scoring will act as a self-correcting mechanism as buyers will be able to see a seller's performance before making a purchase." He also mentioned that an online dispute resolution system is being developed.

ONDC Network Goes Live with 26 Entities, Including Major Companies and Start-ups

Since September, 26 entities, including buyers, sellers, and logistics applications, have gone live on the ONDC network. These include major companies such as ITC, Meesho, HUL, Shiprocket, Delhivery, and Phonepe, Additionally, several new businesses, SIDBI-enabled artists, and small businesses have emerged as a result of the network's involvement.

Koshy said, "Our strategy has been to continually build the basic components and get early adopters to show that the ONDC network is a viable idea. As more partners join, the network will become more active. About 15-16 entities are signing up to be onboarded each week. So far, we have over 700 entities who have signed up and out of that, 250-300 entities are at the technical integration stage."

ONDC Plans Expansion to New Regions and Product Categories with Goal of Democratizing E-Commerce : New domains

ONDC is also introducing home décor, fashion, cosmetics & personal care, electronics, and home appliances.

In addition to expanding to new categories, ONDC is also planning to expand to new geographic regions. Koshy stated, "By mid-February, we plan to add 7-8 new domains. As more entities are onboarded, the scale of our beta testing will rapidly expand to other cities. Once we reach a certain threshold in terms of transactions, ONDC will be live nationwide."

ONDC, which is an initiative of the Commerce Ministry's Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, aims to democratize e-commerce and increase its reach in India. Koshy commented, "People can't imagine beyond platforms, because they are too focused on platforms, therefore we're changing global thinking and we are working to alter that. But we have to change our thinking to avoid falling into that trap. The monopolisation of platforms is a topic of concern on a worldwide scale, and India is attempting to find a solution to this problem via the use of markets and technology." He said, "Everyone is watching ONDC, Everyone on the planet is keeping a close eye on how ONDC develops".