Indonesian e-commerce platform Blibli launched an on-demand video streaming platform called Blibli Play.
This is shortly after Go-Jek, a company Blibli invested in, launched its own streaming app Go-Play. Blibli is associated with Indonesia’s massive tobacco conglomerate Djarum Group.
Blibli’s streaming app, however, is quite limited at the moment. It was launched as a prelude to the badminton tournament “Blibli Indonesia Open 2019” which just stared and will go until July 21st and currently, Blibli Play only broadcasts the current and previous sports events that it sponsors.
The Indonesia Open is an annual tournament and of the biggest sports events in the country. Blibli has been the main sponsor for the past two years. Through Blibli Play, users can watch all matches live.
The platform will add more content in the future including film, television shows, and music videos, it says–which would theoretically put in in competition with Go-Play and other streaming platforms.
Promoting video-streaming content in addition to a variety of on-demand services seems to be a popular move for digital platforms in Indonesia.
Last month, Go-Jek launched Go-Play, making it the second standalone app spin-off after Go-Life, which bundles several on-demand services such as house cleaning and beauty treatments.
Go-Jek’s biggest rival Grab has also introduced an on-demand video content feature in February, through a collaboration with video-streaming platform Hooq.
Nonetheless, Blibli is the first e-commerce platform to launch a standalone video-streaming app in Indonesia. Blibli is the fifth-biggest e-commerce site in Indonesia after Tokopedia, Shopee, Bukalapak, and Lazada, with more than 38 million monthly visitors, according to a recent e-commerce ranking by iPrice.
