airpay eyes ONDC network participation; seeks to digitally empower 500,000+ vyaapaaris across India
Mumbai; June 29, 2022: In line with the Government of India’s vision to bring about a digital transformation in the lives of small vyaapaaris and retailers, airpay is set to join the ambitious Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
The initiative will enable more than 500,000 airpay vyaapaaris to seamlessly expand their reach and presence across the country via digital e-commerce in the country. The unhindered access through ONDC will also empower the vyaapaaris to improve margins and reach customers across the country for their offerings.
Commenting on the ONDC opportunity, Kunal Jhunjhunwala, Founder and MD, airpay, said, “At airpay, we are pursuing a vision to unlock the entrepreneurial potential across the country by offering a level-playing field in terms of technology and access to financial services to nearly a million vyaapaaris across the country. ONDC is one revolution designed to offer a level playing field for aspiring entrepreneurs to sell, transact and grow efficiently on their terms. We are immensely proud to partner with ONDC and offer our vyaapaaris a tech-led superhighway to capitalise on one of the largest e-commerce markets globally. We believe the next wave of e-commerce will be led by hyperlocal players, and as airpay, we are closely working to nurture this relationship-based ecosystem through technology and beyond.”
Launched in April 2022, ONDC is a decentralised marketplace envisioned to create an inclusive, equal, transparent and participative e-commerce ecosystem. The ONDC programme aims to join 30 million sellers and 10 million merchants online and cover at least 100 cities and towns by August. In the next two years, ONDC aims to raise e-commerce penetration to 25% of India’s consumer purchases, from nearly 8% now. Within the next five years, it also aims to sign up 900 million buyers and 1.2 million sellers on the shared network. The focus would be on small merchants and rural consumers, with apps in Indian languages.
airpay has envisioned to rope in one million entrepreneurs to airpay vyaapaar by 2023. Presently, airpay vyaapaar offers banking and financial services to more than 35 lakh consumers over 549 districts and 5,424 villages in 37 states and union territories.
