ONDC for D2C Sellers — Zero Commission Setup Guide

What Is ONDC?

ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) is the Indian government’s initiative to democratize ecommerce. I think of it as UPI for ecommerce — an open protocol that connects any seller app to any buyer app.

Here’s the promise, as I see it: No platform lock-in, minimal commission (0-3%), and equal visibility regardless of brand size.

ONDC in 2026: My Reality Check

Let me be honest with you about where ONDC actually stands:

• Monthly transactions: ~12 million (up from 6M in 2025) — growing, but still tiny next to Amazon India’s ~150M
• Active sellers: ~500K (mostly grocery and food — D2C fashion/beauty is underrepresented, in my experience)
• Active buyer apps: Paytm ONDC, Magicpin, mystore — still building user base
• Average order value: ₹250-400 (skewed by grocery/food orders, as I’ve observed)
• Commission: 0-3% (vs 15-25% on Amazon/Flipkart) — this is the real advantage I keep pointing to

How ONDC Works for D2C Sellers

1. Choose a seller app — this is your storefront on ONDC. I’d start by weighing mystore, Kiko Live, SellerApp, or Wooqer
2. List your products — upload your catalog. I’ve found it’s similar to listing on Amazon, just simpler
3. Set pricing and logistics — choose your shipping partner, or use ONDC’s logistics network, which I’d default to
4. Receive orders — when a buyer on any buyer app (Paytm, Magicpin, etc.) orders your product, the order lands in your seller app
5. Fulfill and ship — pack and ship it just like any other order

Seller App Comparison

Is ONDC Worth It for Your D2C Brand?

YES, if:

• You sell food/grocery/FMCG products — in my experience, ONDC’s strongest category
• You want to reduce marketplace dependency — I’d call this a diversification strategy
• You operate locally and want hyperlocal delivery orders — I’ve seen this work best
• Zero/low commission matters for your unit economics — every 15% you save vs Amazon goes straight to your margin, in my experience

NOT YET, if:

• You’re looking for significant order volume — I don’t expect ONDC to match Amazon/Flipkart anytime soon
• Your brand relies on marketplace discovery — ONDC buyer apps still have limited product discovery/recommendation engines, as I’ve seen
• You sell fashion/beauty — in my experience, these categories are still underdeveloped on ONDC
• You need customer data for remarketing — ONDC’s data sharing model is still evolving, as I see it

My Recommendation

My recommendation: list on ONDC as an experiment, not a primary channel. Spend 2-3 hours setting up, list your top 10-20 products, and see what happens over 3 months. The cost is near zero and the potential upside — if ONDC grows as projected — is significant.

I wouldn’t reallocate resources from Amazon or your D2C website to ONDC yet. Keep it as a low-effort additional channel.

Need Help With Multi-Channel Selling?

At Growww Tech, my team and I help D2C brands sell across channels — Shopify, Amazon, Flipkart, ONDC, and quick commerce. Let’s optimize your channel mix.

Related reading:

• Marketplace Seller Earnings Compared
• Amazon FBA Advanced Guide
• Quick Commerce Fee Breakdown