Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.

India is witnessing the rise of many more social commerce startups and KIKO TV is another one that recently pivoted from being a short-format video-sharing app to a commerce platform. Social commerce, where consumers use a host of social networking platforms (Facebook, Instagram) and reselling apps (Meesho, GlowRoad) to buy and sell products, is expected to touch $16-20 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV) in the next five years. A consumer survey reported that the respondents considered WhatsApp, followed by Facebook and Instagram, as the most preferred platforms for commerce.

Social commerce channels provide trust and reach and have been able to scale at lower customer acquisition cost. “Social commerce firms are uniquely positioned to overcome barriers of trust, offering personalized touch and convenience, elements critical for businesses looking to grow in tier-2 cities and beyond”. It also helps democratize online commerce and connect brands and consumers through social media platforms that are increasingly gaining significance as businesses make the shift from offline to online. The time spent on and the growth of social media, make a case for the emergence of newer platforms.

Although, internet business experts do not feel that social commerce will remain restricted or confined to the US social media major yet start-ups will face stiff competition from large global social media platforms.