ONDC — the Open Network for Digital Commerce — lets a seller list products once and appear in many buyer apps. For a small seller, that sounds like free reach. The reality is more mixed. Here is a simple way to think about ONDC and your own website.
How ONDC works, in one paragraph
ONDC is a government-backed network, not a single app. You join through a seller app. Your products can then appear in buyer apps connected to the network. The buyer app, the seller app and the delivery partner each play a part in one order.
What sellers are finding in practice
Reports through 2025 and 2026 show a large gap between sellers who signed up and sellers who actively get orders. By late 2025, around 1.16 lakh retail sellers were reported live across hundreds of cities. Small sellers commonly mention three problems:
- Visibility. New sellers can sit low in buyer-app search results.
- Delivery cost. On small orders, delivery can eat most of the margin.
- Promotion. Getting seen often means paying for ads inside buyer apps.
What your own website gives you
- Your customer list. Every buyer is yours to message again.
- Your prices and rules. Delivery charges, COD, returns — you decide.
- Your brand on Google. Product pages that can rank for your city and products.
- No commission. What the customer pays is yours, minus payment and courier costs.
The trade-off: nobody brings buyers to your website for you. You bring them — through WhatsApp, Instagram, Google and your existing customers.
A simple way to decide
- Your customers already know you (local shop, Instagram following, repeat buyers)? Start with your own website.
- You sell everyday products and want to test new buyers? Try ONDC through a seller app, and track which orders actually make money after delivery cost.
- You are growing? Many sellers use both — ONDC for discovery, their website for repeat customers.
If you use both
Keep stock and prices in one place you trust, and update the other carefully. Put your website address on every parcel, so a buyer who found you through an app can come to you directly next time.
What to ask before joining any platform
- What does one order really cost me after commission, ads and delivery?
- Who owns the customer's contact details?
- How do returns work, and who pays for them?
Our own stores do not connect to ONDC — they are your independent shop. Plans start at a one-time ₹4,990 with no commission. See ecommerce website plans or how a grocery shop competes with quick commerce.
Sources: industry reports and news coverage of ONDC seller activity, 2025–2026.
FAQs
What is ONDC?
The Open Network for Digital Commerce, a government-backed network that lets sellers join through a seller app and appear in many connected buyer apps.
Is ONDC better than having my own website?
They do different jobs. ONDC can help new buyers find you, but visibility and delivery cost are common challenges. Your own website gives you your customer list, your prices and no commission. Many sellers use both.
Does an Instacode store connect to ONDC?
No. Our stores are independent online shops. If you also sell on ONDC, you manage it through a separate seller app.
Need a custom solution?
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