Right now, India’s Agro-based sector is in a state of innovation as more businesses are looking for a direct-to-consumer model to better engage with buyers. As per market reports, the online demand for farming products (grains, livestock, fruits & vegetables, organic foods, etc.) increased significantly in the post-COVID era. Clearly, there is a promising market for agro products out there.
However, this growing trend may present new challenges for a D2C brand just entering the world of digital commerce. Launching an online agro-based store is easy, but growing it for consistent profitability is a different story altogether. For example? How will you compete against Amazon Fresh? How will customers across different platforms discover your agro-based goods? What about logistics and nationwide shipping?
Thankfully, the answer to these questions can be met by switching to India’s next-gen platform - ONDC network. By becoming ONDC network-registered sellers via a feature-rich solution like the Mystore seller app, your D2C brand can advertise its agro products to a far wider audience.
Here we look at how the novel initiative is transforming India’s online agricultural sector and make a case for why you should sell on ONDC network for increased profitability.
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ONDC Network - The Key to Unlock D2C Brand Success
One of the major challenges for emerging agro-food brands is their lack of expertise when it comes to selling online. As most of these D2C firms are not platform-oriented and have unique business models with different tech and marketing resources, it becomes difficult for them to tap into newer markets on their own.
Your company may sell the best agricultural products from the most trusted resources, but how will it reach the end customer? To drive sales and enhance brand visibility, agro-based companies need a new-age, seller-friendly platform like ONDC network.
Here’s why merchants can’t wait to sell on ONDC network
The ONDC Network breaks free from the norm by ditching the monopolistic platform-centric approach in favor of an open network model. The government-backed, not-for-profit platform is a blessing for SMBs, MSMEs, and D2Cs still finding their feet in eCommerce by giving them the perfect launching pad to reach nationwide buyers.
Here, businesses from all industries and backgrounds are given a level playing field, thus fostering healthy competition. Customers and buyers can interact and transact freely, despite being on multiple platforms. As for an agricultural D2C brand, the open network enables them to sell agro products in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities that too without charging exorbitant commission fees.
ONDC network-affiliated brands maintain end-to-end control over their agricultural products' production, marketing, and delivery. When the entire sales cycle is in your hand, you can experiment with product mixes and try innovative methods to ramp up your sales. Popular marketplaces don’t accord this luxury as they only carry your specific product line. All in all, switching to the neutral platform is easier, cost-effective, and ultimately more profitable for India’s D2C brands.
Still confused about whether to enter the groundbreaking, multi-billion-dollar opportunity? Consider the following advantages of upgrading to the ONDC network using a fully-compatible interface like the Mystore Seller App.
- Reach pan-India customers across dozens of pin codes
- Increase profitability through lower commissions
- Enable multiple payment options for an A-one customer experience
- Reputation management and transferability
- Choose between on-network and off-network logistics solutions
- Adopt a multichannel sales strategy, etc.
Many agro-based D2C companies are already seeing the benefits of taking their business on the decentralized platform.
Mystore - Delivering Tailored eCommerce Solutions For Your D2C Brand
You still need a feature-rich and compliant solution to be able to sell on ONDC network. Enter Mystore seller app. The platform offers an easy-to-use admin dashboard with built-in tools to seamlessly migrate products from your current e-commerce platform and upload them to the open network. Built on a powerful MACH (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless) architecture, merchants can leverage a host of built-in tools to build an omnichannel marketplace.
Agrotech businesses powered by Mystore can steer clear of various threats that traditional eCommerce possesses. With Mystore, keeping track of your sales and managing bulk orders becomes much easier thanks to a plethora of APIs and in-built tools. Also, the platform has inbuilt SEO products so that your agro products gain wider exposure.
Final Thoughts
Agro-based companies play an important role in transforming rural areas, and going digital will help them further accelerate their growth. The launch of the ONDC network project has coincided with the massive shift in customer preferences towards online shopping, giving all eCommerce participants a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a digital empire.
A cutting-edge solution like the Mystore seller app will offer agro-firms a comprehensive set of solutions that can be leveraged to establish highly dynamic, multilingual e-commerce stores that offer a truly unmatched customer experience.
Check out Mystore today and supercharge your ONDC network-based D2C business.