Dear Category Leader,
The Open Network for Digital Commerce continues to grow — seller onboarding is accelerating, GMV is climbing, and the government’s intent to democratise digital commerce is becoming operationally real.
But here is the thing nobody is talking about: ONDC is the most brand-free significant commerce channel in India right now.
Over 700,000 sellers. Hundreds of categories. Millions of potential transactions. And almost no brand that has said: this platform is ours.
Every new distribution channel in Indian e-commerce has created a first-mover brand advantage. The brands that built equity on Amazon before it became crowded now enjoy compounding returns from that early position. The brands that built on Flipkart early are still benefiting. The brands that showed up on Instagram before it got expensive are still reaping the CAC advantage.
ONDC is that moment — right now
Most brands treat new channels as fulfilment decisions. Can we list here? Do the economics work? Is the volume meaningful yet?
These are the wrong questions for ONDC. The right question is: what does it mean to be the trusted brand in our category on this network before the noise arrives?
Quick commerce showed us what happens when you get this right: brands that built early dark-store presence and q-comm-native creative now dominate repeat purchase on those platforms. Latecomers are competing on price because they have nothing else.
ONDC is not just a channel. It is a canvas. The brands that show up as a brand — not just as a listing — will own a positioning that is very difficult to buy later.
It does not mean a bigger banner ad. It means being the brand that buyers look for specifically, not the brand they land on accidentally.
Category-defining content: Educational content, comparison clarity, and use-case storytelling that helps a buyer understand why your product is the right choice — before the transaction.
Consistent brand voice at the touchpoint: Packaging, post-purchase communication, and follow-through that signals a brand, not a commodity seller.
Retention from the first order: ONDC buyers are not automatically your loyalists. The brands that own the post-ONDC customer relationship will convert discovery into equity
If someone searched for your category on ONDC today, would they find your brand — or would they find 47 listings that look identical?
If the answer is the latter, you have not missed ONDC. You have just not arrived yet.
ONDC is at the stage where the investment is low and the upside is significant. In 18 months, the advertising slots will be more expensive, the category will be more crowded, and the first movers will have a lead that is almost impossible to close. That 18-month window starts now.
“Streak helped us listen to the market and respond with positioning that hit the mark. Buland became a hit from day one.”
At Streak, this is exactly what we build in our 30-Day Growth + LTV Audit: rapid creative resets tied to market shifts, and retention loops that convert opportunistic buyers into loyal customers.