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ONDC Network- The next wave of Revolution in India’s eCommerce market
India’s agriculture sector is valued at around $435 billion (source: Expert Market Research). Today, India has over 1,000 Agritech startups, with the collective market estimation to be over $24 billion. With such promising numbers, now may seem like the perfect time to sell agricultural products on Shopify, right?
While Shopify may seem the most obvious choice, it isn’t necessarily the best. The hosted platform has recently dropped in popularity owing to its restrictive policies and costly plans. At the same time, a new market phenomenon has taken India’s eCommerce market by storm - ONDC Network.
“But why should I sell agricultural products on ONDC network instead of other marketplaces?” you may ask. In this post, we’ll explain why Amazon or Flipkart might not be the platform for you to sell Shopify-based products and why integration to the open network may be crucial to success.
Why Shopify alone isn't good enough in 2023
Shopify started as an affordable and easy-to-use platform allowing many businesses to have an online presence. However, that quickly changed when the platform grew in popularity. Here are the main issues with Shopify that Indian sellers face:
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Expensive monthly pricing (ranging from $29 to $299 a month)
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Minimal customisation tools for “basic plan” users
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Merchant lock-ins
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Third-party integrations are complex and costly
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Few logistics options
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Lack of reputation management tools
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Reviews/ratings are non-transferable
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Limited online visibility for niche products
On top of that, Shopify is not attuned to the needs of small-scale Indian merchants. For instance, many farmers have limited technical expertise to use Shopify to its full potential. Also, not everyone can hire a dedicated technical staff to manage their orders on Shopify.
Now that we’ve discovered the issues with Shopify, let’s look at why Shopify to ONDC network migration is a good idea.
ONDC network at a glance
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has established a revolutionary digital project to facilitate eCommerce for small players. The novel initiative aims to duplicate UPI’s success by democratising India’s entire eCommerce landscape.
The open network protocol works with open APIs, enabling sellers and buyers to transact no matter the platforms/apps they use. This inter-network connectivity makes Shopify merchants visible to potential buyers across Amazon, Flipkart, Paytm, etc. As a result, merchants can sell agricultural products on ONDC network to a large customer base without enlisting on multiple digital platforms.
Here are the Shopify pain points that the democratic, neutral platform aims to resolve:
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Gaining nationwide visibility to crores of buyers
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Paying hefty commission and subscription fees
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Zero reputation portability
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Having no decision-making power or control over your own business.
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Access to on-network logistics and delivery partners
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Limited access to customer data for better insight
Thus, the open network is suitable for Shopify stores selling agricultural, gardening, farming, nursery, plants and other equipment. Moreover, ONDC network-affiliated merchants can use advanced marketing and catalogue management tools via a compatible solution like Mystore for optimum customer experience.
Mystore Shopify Connect will speed up the ONDC network adoption process for vendors who have an existing e-store but want to participate in the open network.
Make your Shopify to ONDC network journey hassle-free with Mystore
Open network is accessible to all sellers and buyers. The best part? You don’t have to start an eCommerce business from scratch. You can easily migrate your entire product catalogue from Shopify to ONDC network using a feature-rich solution like the Mystore seller app.
Mystore has recently launched its ONDC network Shopify channel, allowing merchants to upload their Shopify product catalogue to the democratic platform with minimal effort. Plus, you'll get all the features and tools you need to ensure your agro-based business runs like a well-oiled machine.
Mystore Shopify Connect is a seller-friendly solution for merchants to explore the open network and diversify their customer base without abandoning their existing stores. Check out Mystore’s step-by-step tutorial that will walk you through the integration process and get you started with the open network in minutes!
Conclusion
Open network is set to democratise eCommerce at a global scale. Therefore, merchants can sell agricultural products on ONDC network without being controlled by a regulatory body or a third party.
Furthermore, Mystore Shopify Connect allows merchants to upload their catalogues, set up prices, adopt preferred logistics support, etc., without needing any coding experience.
For a seamless buying experience, Mystore offers multi-lingual support (including Hindi, Kannada, Gujarati, etc.). Hence, you can cater to hyperlocal customers in their preferred/native language.
Ready to give it a try? Hurry up and check out the incredible seller-friendly solutions of the Mystore seller app today.