The highly anticipated India-Pakistan match on Saturday, October 14, witnessed significant online activity, setting several records. Disney Hotstar, an OTT platform, attracted approximately 3.5 crore viewers for the live stream of the match. Additionally, the government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) experienced a personal best with 65,400 retail orders in a single day.
Surge in Orders on ONDC: Food and Beverages Sector Takes the Lead
According to an Economic Times report, the majority of the orders on ONDC came from the food and beverages sector, accounting for 47% of the total. Multiple seller apps on the network, major players in this sector, reported an unprecedented peak in orders on Saturday. The top five cities contributing to the surge in orders were Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
Other Contributing Categories: Fashion, Electronics, and More
While the food and beverage sector dominated the surge in orders, other categories also played a significant role. Fashion accounted for 25% of the orders, followed by electronics (9%), groceries (8%), home and kitchen (7%), beauty and personal care (3%), and health and wellness (1%). Additionally, the mobility sector saw around 100,000 taxi or auto rides from four cities.
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Several factors contributed to the massive number of orders on Saturday. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan cricket match undoubtedly played a major role. Additionally, being the eve of Navratri, a festive period, and the availability of discounts further fueled the surge. The combination of a weekend and the presence of multiple buyer apps on the network also attracted more traffic.
ONDC has experienced significant growth since its inception. With more than 40,000 sellers spread across 200 cities, the network has grown from 1,000 transactions in January to a cumulative total of over 3.3 million in September. The government envisions ONDC as the UPI of online shopping, aiming to create an interoperable platform that offers buyers complete choice.
The India-Pakistan match and the eve of Navratri created a perfect storm for a surge in online orders on ONDC. The dominance of the food and beverage sector, along with contributions from other categories, showcases the diverse range of products attracting consumers. As ONDC continues to grow and attract more sellers and buyers, it aims to establish itself as the go-to platform for online shopping, providing customers with a wide array of choices.