What they mean for your local shop
Success Stories
In our 2024-25 report, Sheto Chiero of Online Express Nagaland describes how shopping changed in Nagaland: 4G made the internet cheaper and faster, and online shopping in fashion and electronics quickly pulled customers from local retailers. In 2017 his company introduced cash on delivery for e-commerce businesses in Nagaland, and one Dimapur store that moved online generated more than Rs. 1 lakh in sales in a single week.
His warning for the next stage: quick commerce, with 15-minute grocery delivery, could disrupt local supermarkets and small retailers. His summary: “either change or die.”
What is ONDC? The Open Network for Digital Commerce is a government-backed framework for open digital networks. At a roundtable on 20 March 2025 at the Directorate of Industries & Commerce, Kohima, discussions focused on how ONDC can make digital commerce more inclusive, interoperable and accessible for businesses of all sizes. Our co-founder Rukewe Kenye attended.
Five steps a local shop can take now
- Accept digital payments with a UPI QR code.
- Start a WhatsApp Business catalogue.
- Set up a Google Business Profile (see post 10).
- Offer local delivery or cash on delivery.
- Learn about ONDC from ondc.org and from the Department of Industries & Commerce.
Source credit: Sheto Chiero, “The Future of E-commerce in Nagaland: A Need for Small Businesses” and the ONDC roundtable report (Annual Report 2024-25).