Snapdeal, eKart Integrated On ONDC, May Go Live By Dec-End While the e-commerce platform signed the on-boarding agreement in July and was to go live by August, the logistics arm of Flipkart was expected to go live by October
By Saurabh Kumar •
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After months of signing on-boarding agreements, e-commerce platform Snapdeal and logistics provider eKart Logistics—a subsidiary of Flipkart—are nearing integration with Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) network. According to a person close to the development who did not want to be identified, the two startups are expected to go live by end of December.
"All required processes are done and it is just a matter of time that they become live," said the person.
NCR-based Snapdeal signed the on-boarding agreement in July and was initially expected to go live by August. Walmart-owned Flipkart's logistics arm eKart was also expected to go live on ONDC by October.
Last week, logistics services provider Delhivery announced it has gone live on the government's e-commerce network. The company said that it had successfully integrated with sellers and was ready to begin intercity express parcel movement, catering to over 18,400 PIN codes in the country. Unicorn logistics provider Shiprocket has also integrated with the platform and is live.
Snapdeal will be the first large e-commerce platform to be live on the ONDC network.
ONDC, developed by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), is an open-source network that allows sellers and buyers to have an open-source platform for e-commerce.
The network has also set a working group of experts to find similar solutions for financial institutions wherein financial products and services will also get democratized.
At present, ONDC network is in Beta stage and operates in select metro locations offering hyperlocal food and grocery services. However, the network is looking beyond these urban locations.
At a press briefing last week, T. Koshy, chief executive officer of ONDC, said that the network will be tested in smaller towns on hyperlocal basis. In addition to food and groceries, fashion, home decor and electronics will also be available through the network.
Koshy also mentioned that ONDC is in advanced talks with e-commerce leaders Amazon and Flipkart as well.
Sellers and buyers can join the ONDC network, and sellers across e-commerce platforms which are linked to the network are visible to all buyers irrespective of which e-commerce platform they login from given the platform is integrated to the network.
