Facebook to foray further in e-commerce with acquisition of Kustomer

Facebook acquired customer service startup Kustomer for a reported $1 billion to foray further into e-commerce.

Kustomer will boost Facebook's nascent messaging business, which is including customer-service products that helps interaction via chat apps, like WhatsApp and Messenger.

The New York-based Kustomer specializes in customer-service platforms and chatbots. It aggregates customer conversations from various channels into a single-screen and automates responses to buyers.

Kustomer already services Facebook Messenger and Instagram.

The social media giant said the deal will be completed pending regulatory approval.

Facebook had earlier launched Shops, which allows businesses to display and sell products across its platforms.