Reliance Retail Begins ONDC Pilot Through Fynd: Report

Reliance Retail's Shri Kannan Departmental Store, which is situated in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai, is live through Fynd on ONDC’s seller side.

Outlook Start-Up Desk

Updated on: 31 May 2024 12:13 pm

A pilot programme has been launched by Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) via the omnichannel retail platform Fynd, as per a report by the Economic Times.

Reliance Industries reportedly has a stake in the pilot programme. Reliance Retail's Shri Kannan Departmental Store, which is situated in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai, is live through Fynd on ONDC’s seller side.

In 2021, Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd. acquired a 100 per cent stake at Shri Kannan Departmental Store for a cost of Rs 152.5 crore. In a regulatory filing, RIL said, “The investment will further strengthen the group’s retail operations and presence in the state of Tamil Nadu and will further enable retail and new commerce initiatives.”

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Reliance-backed quick commerce platform Dunzo is already live on ONDC. It became live during the beta launch of ONDC in September 2022. However, as per the report, Dunzo is no longer active on ONDC as a logistics service provider.

Fynd is a multiplatform tech company that was founded in 2012 and specializes in retail-tech solutions that create enjoyable customer experiences. Google and Reliance Jio are the company's investors. Meanwhile, the goal of the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) initiative is to advance open networks for any kind of digital or electronic network-based trade in products and services.

In February 2024, the business made its debut on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform. In a statement, the company said that this connection will preserve their present digital business while providing hundreds of fashion labels with an easy method to connect with the ONDC network. Meanwhile, in the second quarter of 2025, the company expects its buyer app to be live on the network.

Since its launch, several companies have onboarded ONDC, including Wow Momo, Mc Donalds, ITC, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Dabur India, PayNearby, Rapidor, Tata Digital, DMI Finance, Namma Yatri, Kochi Open Mobility Network, Ola, Hero MotoCorp, and others.