Rakuten Viber buys shopping keyboard Chatter Commerce

Messaging app Rakuten Viber said on Thursday it acquired Chatter Commerce, a San Francisco-based startup that created a keyboard for mobile commerce called ShopChat.

Financial details were not disclosed.

Rakuten Viber - created in 2014 when Japan's Rakuten Inc bought Israel's Viber for $900 million - launched in March an instant shopping feature in the United States. Instant Shopping enables users to shop online with people they would go to the store with, giving them the ability to search, share and discuss items.

Rakuten Inc invested in Chatter Commerce during its first round of funding. Chatter Commerce’s team of seven engineers in San Francisco will become a part of Rakuten Viber.