This month marks the start of a new wave in Line’s push for greater monetization. Today, in Japan, the company formally introduced prepaid cards for in-app purchases.
Meanwhile, in Taiwan, the messaging app introduced its in-browser Web store to the island, as well as a proto-prepaid card scheme that lets users make purchases in the store.
Formally rolled out in Japan mid-September, the Line Web store is an in-browser store (desktop or mobile) that lets users purchase games and stickers – the two products that Line claims to earn the majority of its revenue from.
Since credit cards in Taiwan (like Japan) are relatively uncommon, Line has circumvented this by letting users purchase virtual passcodes from ticket vending machines in 7-11 convenience stores throughout the island (these machines will ordinarily also sell train tickets, tickets for cultural events, and tickets for a variety of promotions). Passcodes can then be entered in the Line Web store in exchange for virtual goods like stickers.
Taiwan is currently one of Line’s strongest markets. The team behind the app claims to have 17 million registered users on the island; amounting to almost 75 percent of the island’s entire population – Line’s highest market penetration rate.
(Source: Line Taiwan blog)
(Editing by Steven Millward)
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