Dunzo, backed by Reliance and Google, revealed on Thursday that it has seamlessly integrated its seller app with the state-supported Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
During the pilot phase of the ONDC network, the Bengaluru-based company, Dunzo, successfully integrated its B2B logistics arm, Dunzo For Business (D4B). Now, with its latest integration, 1,500 local merchants will be able to join the network within a week. Looking ahead, Dunzo aims to onboard an impressive 20,000 merchants from various sectors such as food, grocery, pharmaceuticals, and more, in the next 45 days.
Established by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), ONDC stands as a non-profit platform offering an alternative to conventional online shopping. It stands apart from being a mere app, functioning as a facilitative platform with the intention of bringing about a transformative impact on digital commerce.
Dalvir Suri, Dunzo’s Co-Founder and Head of Dunzo Merchant Services, said, “It’s been less than two weeks since we’ve been live on the network, and we’ve already hit peak order volumes of more than 3000 a day for groceries and other essential items through our local merchants.”
“We have merchant partners who’ve also seen a 3-fold increase in their daily orders. Very soon India’s e-comm landscape will be marked by pre-ONDC and post-ONDC days, and we are happy to be one of the first to participate in this Network and drive this change,” he said.
Dunzo’s announcement comes a day after a stakeholder consultation meeting on e-commerce policy, during which Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal urged companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, and Zomato to integrate with ONDC.
Reports indicate that the department of consumer affairs has recently requested data on seller patterns and private labels from quick commerce players, aiming to gain insights into their business models.
T Koshy, Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer, ONDC, said, “In a country like ours, where small and medium businesses keep the heart of commerce beating, any real progress must include them — that’s the core mission of ONDC Protocol. With Dunzo’s integration as a seller app, we will see thousands of new local merchants come online and grow their business while giving customers more choice and convenience.”
Upon joining D4B, local merchants will be granted automatic access to join ONDC, as per Dunzo’s announcement. The company will extend its technological resources, customer support, and last-mile logistics delivery assistance to facilitate their participation in the network.
As per reports, Dunzo is grappling with a severe cash crunch, resulting in a reduction of its operations’ scale and the deferral of salaries for more than 50 percent of its employees.
Read More: Dunzo seeks USD 20 Million in funding from Reliance Retail amid cash flow challenges
