Crafting a Seller's Experience for India's E-commerce Network
OVERVIEW
I was approached to design an MVP for a next-gen e-commerce platform built on top of India’s ambitious Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) initiative.
ONDC is a government-backed initiative aiming to democratise digital commerce, breaking the stronghold of centralised platforms like Amazon, Shopify and Flipkart. Instead of a single entity owning the entire buyer-seller experience, ONDC introduces an open protocol-based system where buyers, sellers, logistics providers, and tech platforms can plug in independently but still transact seamlessly.
This case study outlines how I approached designing for such a complex, decentralised ecosystem.
MY ROLE
I was brought on as the sole product designer for the MVP phase, working directly with the founding team and developers. My responsibilities spanned the entire product design cycle, from understanding ONDC’s complex ecosystem to delivering a clickable prototype ready for handoff.
TIMELINE
3 months | November 2023 – January 2024
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The challenge was to design a functional MVP for an e-commerce platform while incorporating ONDC’s protocols, an unfamiliar and evolving technical framework.
This required navigating complex system architecture, fragmented user journeys, and minimal existing UX references, all within the constraints of an MVP timeline.
DISCOVERY AND RESEARCH
To kick things off, I focused on understanding the core parts of the project to gain clarity on the best steps to proceed with.
Here’s how I approached it:
DEFINING FLOWS & INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
The seller experience was at the heart of this MVP. Before they could list a single product, sellers who decided to use the ONDC sales channel needed to complete a detailed onboarding process that complied with ONDC’s standardised protocols. The first challenge? Designing a smooth and intuitive KYC (Know Your Customer) flow.
ONDC KYC Flow
I started by mapping the seller onboarding journey from scratch. ONDC’s KYC requirements include:
Business registration details (GST, PAN, etc.)
Bank account verification
Identity proof for business owners
Operational category selection (e.g., grocery, fashion, electronics)
The goal was to break this complex flow into small, digestible steps with clear microcopy, document upload feedback, and status tracking, making it feel less like paperwork and more like progress.
Once sellers completed KYC, the platform guided them into the next critical area: setting up their store.
MVP Feature Prioritization
With the core flows mapped, I prioritised features based on what a seller needs to start operating quickly on ONDC:
Key MVP Features Included:
Store profile setup (name, branding, operating hours)
Category-specific product onboarding
Inventory management interface
Order notifications & tracking
Access to ONDC buyer requests (inbound demand)
Simplified earnings dashboard
This structure focused on giving sellers a minimum viable toolkit to list, sell, and manage products while ensuring the experience remained lightweight and mobile-friendly.
By the end of this phase, I had created wireframes that captured each step, from onboarding to order fulfilment, grounded in the realities of a seller entering digital commerce for the first time.
WIREFRAMING & UI DESIGN
Once the flows were mapped, I moved into wireframing to bring structure and usability to the seller experience. The goal here was to reduce cognitive load, guide sellers step-by-step, and ensure the platform didn’t feel overwhelming, especially for MSMEs new to digital tools.
After validating flows internally, I moved to high-fidelity visual design.
REFLECTION
Working on this project reshaped the way I approach product design, especially under tight timelines. Instead of perfecting every feature upfront, the focus shifted to designing a clear, usable system that could evolve with real-world needs.
Here’s what I learned:
Good UX isn’t about cutting steps, it's about making every step feel achievable. Especially when onboarding users with varying levels of experience.
Designing to a user story keeps decisions grounded. With changing requirements and unexpected pivots, having a clear user narrative helped prioritise what mattered most.
Adaptability is crucial. Changes to flows, features, and requirements weren’t blockers, they were signals to stay flexible and keep the user experience simple and intuitive.
Empathy is a designer’s strongest tool. Small details, like progressive disclosures, helpful microcopy, and supportive error handling, made a massive difference in reducing friction.
Above all, this project reinforced that design isn't just about delivering a product, it’s about delivering clarity, confidence, and trust, even when building fast and adapting along the way.