ONDC network seems to be the new buzzword grabbing the headlines in India’s e-business domain, and for good reason. The GoI’s most ambitious digital initiative after UPI, ONDC network offers eCommerce merchants the opportunity to exponentially grow their business reach and profitability.
The initiative is advantageous for Amazon sellers in India, as it addresses several pain points they face when selling on the monopolistic platform. Here we learn how you can take your existing Amazon store and scale it to sell on ONDC network. But first, let’s understand why platforms like Amazon and Flipkart are not as seller-friendly as they portray themselves.
Table of Contents
The Amazon dilemma
There's no denying Amazon's power regarding its size and market penetration. The platform is an undisputed eCommerce heavyweight that dominates India’s e-retail industry. But that has its perks and drawbacks. While customers enjoy heavy discounts and same-day delivery, the platform poses various threats and obstacles for small sellers.
There are some risks you must consider before fully investing in becoming an Amazon-affiliated merchant. From limited cash flow to constantly changing policies, here are some flaws with being an Amazon-based seller:
- Extreme and unfair competition
- High commission and subscription costs.
- Limited logistics and order management support
- Complex data access
- Restricted seller-buyer interaction
- Minimal inventory control for sellers
- Strict and exploratory policies
- Non-transferable reviews/ratings
Now, that’s not to say that the platform is completely deprived of any benefits. The challenge for a small seller is handling the various obstacles owing to their financial and technological barriers and come out on top.
That’s what’s on offer if you choose to sell on ONDC network. All it takes is a registered Amazon business and an ONDC network-compatible solution like Mystore seller app.
What is ONDC network?
To diminish the power of market behemoths like Amazon, the government launched Open Network for Digital Commerce in April of 2022. Simply put, this will enable pan-India sellers and buyers to transact through an open network, regardless of the platform they use.
Thus, Amazon sellers on ONDC network can instantly become discoverable to a wider audience and scale their reach to remote cities. The best part about why you should sell on ONDC network is that it ends your dependence on monopolistic platforms (like Amazon and Flipkart) to leverage eCommerce.
The not-for-profit initiative acts as a market leveller, bringing sellers, aggregators, and logistics partners together on one unified, democratic, and transparent platform. Hence, your brand identity will expand beyond the confines of Amazon, allowing you to cater to buyers across Flipkart, eBay, and other marketplaces.
For this, Mystore for Amazon sellers is the most efficient solution. Mystore makes it easy for micro, small, and medium players to join ONDC network and become registered vendors. You can even leverage the open network to connect with the logistics partners of your choice and open your business for interstate delivery.
How to take your Amazon Business to ONDC network?
If you have an existing sales channel on Amazon, Mystore makes it super-easy for you to migrate your entire product catalogue on its admin panel. In just a few clicks, you can easily add an organic sales channel to your Amazon store and leverage Mystore’s built-in tools to sell on ONDC network. Integrate your Amazon channel with Mystore in just four easy steps.
- Create a seller account on the Mystore seller app.
- Go to Channels >> “Amazon” on the left of the Dashboard.
- Enter your Channel Name; authorise your Amazon seller account.
- Finally, switch on the “Import Products” button and click on Update Channel (as shown)
And you’re done. Your product catalogue on Amazon is now successfully migrated to your Mystore admin panel. From here, Amazon sellers on ONDC network can seamlessly upload their products, track orders, collect payments, etc., for a nominal transaction fee.
Unlike traditional marketplaces, Mystore for Amazon sellers is a far more cost-friendly and user-intuitive alternative. Merchants bear no upfront costs to have a dedicated eCommerce business. Using the “pay as you sell” model, sellers end up paying a fraction of the price (5-8% of total cart value) compared to Amazon’s hefty commission rates.
Conclusion
The idea of ONDC network sounds promising, and many small businesses stand to benefit from the novel initiative. Dozens of MNCs have already acquired stakes in the open network, and the pilot phase has yielded some encouraging results. Safe to say, Amazon sellers on ONDC network have a lot to rejoice about, and with a feature-rich solution like the Mystore seller app, sellers can drive logistics and enhance customer value. Register today and become an ONDC network seller with Mystore.