Gupshup Introduces the First-Ever Conversational Buyer App in India on ONDC Platform

Gupshup, a prominent Conversation Cloud provider globally, has introduced what it asserts as India’s inaugural Conversational Buyer App on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). This revelation took place during the Conversations 2024 conference held in Delhi. The app enables buyers to utilize a WhatsApp-centered conversational platform for exploring, browsing, and buying products from ONDC network sellers, eliminating the necessity for downloading supplementary mobile applications.

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The application allows users to share their location via chat, discover nearby sellers, place food orders, and conduct secure payments directly through WhatsApp. Initially in its Beta phase with limited availability, the app primarily focuses on ordering food and beverages such as biryani. Gupshup plans to integrate additional conversational channels like Google RCS and Voice in the near future, aiming to extend these capabilities to their enterprise customers interested in integrating conversational commerce into their chatbot solutions.

The Conversational Buyer App is designed to meet the diverse needs of India’s population, who use a range of mobile tools, languages, and have varying levels of technological expertise. According to Beerud Sheth, CEO of Gupshup, “India’s population is diverse, utilizing different mobile tools and languages, and varying in tech proficiency. However, everyone is familiar with chatting on WhatsApp. Providing conversational experiences through this messaging app is the only way to connect with everyone. Gupshup’s Buyer App on ONDC integrates the extensive commerce network for users nationwide, making it accessible in any language, quickly and easily. This will significantly revolutionize digital commerce across India.”

The ONDC initiative, spearheaded by India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, strives to cultivate a transparent and inclusive e-commerce environment within the country. Since its inception in January 2023, ONDC has facilitated more than 49.79 million transactions, with notable interest observed in transportation services and the food and beverages sectors. Gupshup’s application supports ONDC’s objectives by democratizing digital commerce through a user-friendly platform such as WhatsApp.

Gupshup stands as a global leader in conversational engagement solutions, empowering more than 45,000 brands worldwide to elevate customer experiences and drive revenue growth. According to Gaurav Kachhawa, Chief Product Officer at Gupshup, “The Gupshup Conversation Cloud simplifies the creation of immersive conversational commerce experiences using AI-driven natural language interactions. These experiences, available in multiple languages and spanning text and voice channels, offer extensive personalization throughout the customer journey.” The introduction of the ONDC Buyer App exemplifies the profound impact of conversational interfaces, underscored by Gupshup’s platform capabilities. The company remains committed to expanding its portfolio, facilitating broader business participation within the ONDC eCommerce ecosystem.

Gupshup unveiled India’s first Conversational Buyer App at Conversations 2024, enabling WhatsApp-based shopping on ONDC. The app, now in Beta, focuses on food orders initially but plans to expand to Google RCS and Voice. Gupshup’s CEO emphasized the app’s accessibility across diverse tech backgrounds. ONDC, aiming for transparent e-commerce, saw over 49.79 million transactions and interest in transport and F&B. Gupshup’s role in democratizing digital commerce reflects its global conversational leadership, enhancing customer interactions through personalized AI-driven experiences within the ONDC ecosystem.