App Store Social is a pre-angel startup building a next-generation social e-commerce platform using the iTunes App Store as the initial vertical.  We were founded in late 2009 by Benjamin Cox, a startup veteran software engineer with a strong background in e-commerce and incorrigible entrepreneurial tendencies.  We have seed funding, proof-of-concept code completed, market research, and a business plan.  In early 2010 we will build a team and develop the core functionality for a private beta launch in May 2010.

We recognized an opportunity when we discovered that most iPhone owners find the App Store lacking. Though we are at Apple's mercy in terms of the Apps that are included in the App Store, we certainly have the power to create and maintain our own shopping experience. But a newly created shopping experience today has to be more than just a simple store. It also has to be a social experience.

We have discerned the next stage in the evolution of product shopping, search, and discovery online.  It is the "social product wiki".  This blends a full-featured e-commerce experience with social networking and wiki functionality.

  • Though the App Store is our initial vertical, it is only the beginning. This functionality is going to start to come to fruit on the web. Once enough shopping sites have it, all shopping sites will want to have it.  This creates opportunity for a platform company in three markets:
  • services:  putting up sites around additional verticals
  • SMBs: small and medium-sized businesses will want a mechanism to integrate social search with their existing e-commerce catalogs, which can be provided in a hosted or on-site, out-of-the-box solution
  • enterprise:  large shopping sites and organizations will want a platform they can host themselves, customize, integrate with their existing systems, and tune in order to scale

As of February 2010, we are officially recruiting!  All positions are currently equity-based and require only part-time commitment.  If you are excited by the possibilities and want to get involved, please use our Contact page to send along a plain-text resume (cut-n-paste it into the text box).

Don't hesitate to get in touch if you want to get involved, regardless of your skill set.  However, we're currently seeking:

  • engineers: iPhone developers,  web developers, desktop applications (both Mac and PC)
  • designers: both UX and graphic (as you can tell by this site, this is an engineering-lead company...  we really need designers!)
  • advisory board members:  if you are a technology CEO with a track record, a world-class designer, a branding guru, a strong relationship-builder, or some other form of maven we'd love to see if you're a fit for our advisory board