Messaging app Line launches on-demand delivery service in Bangkok
Japanese messaging service Line has launched an on-demand delivery service in Bangkok, announcing it will deliver food, shopping, documents and other parcels to users in the Bangkok area.
The messaging platform's new Line Man facility is being piloted in Thailand where the app boasts over 30-million subscribers. The brand has teamed up with logistics startup Lalamove to fund a fleet of green-jacket clad motorbike delivery staff who will wear uniforms adorned with Line's emoji ambassadors.
The Whatsapp rival said it hopes the new offering will make it stand out as "more than just a chat app," with the firm's managing director for Thailand, Ariya Banomyong, adding: "Line Man aims to offer best quality lifestyle services and help businesses leverage digital tools to connect with consumers, and Lalamove, as a leading on-demand delivery service provider in Thailand, made them a natural choice for Line Man."
Line has over 218 million users worldwide, with almost 70 per cent of those based in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia.
The move continues an ongoing trend of startups expanding their operations into delivery services, such as Uber's UberEats platform.