# Loading in-app product identifiers Load the unique identifiers for your in-app products to retrieve product information from the App Store. ## Discussion Implementing an in-app purchase flow consists of three stages. In the first stage, your app retrieves product information. Then your app requests payment when the user selects a product in your app’s store. Finally, your app delivers the product.  To begin the purchase process, your app needs the product identifiers so it can retrieve information about the products from the App Store and present its store UI to the user. Every product you sell in your app has a unique product identifier. You provide this value in App Store Connect when you create a new in-app purchase product (see [Create in-app purchases](https://help.apple.com/app-store-connect/#/devae49fb316) for more information). Your app uses these product identifiers to fetch information about products available for sale in the App Store, such as pricing, and to submit payment requests when users purchase those products. There are several strategies for storing a list of product identifiers in your app, such as embedding them in the app bundle or storing them on your server. You can then retrieve the product identifiers by reading them locally in the app bundle or fetching them from your server. Choose the method that best serves your app’s needs. > Note: > There’s no runtime mechanism to fetch a list of the configured products in App Store Connect for a particular app. You’re responsible for managing your app’s list of products and providing that information to your app. ### Retrieve product IDs from the app bundle Embed the product identifiers in your app bundle if: - Your app has a fixed list of in-app purchase products. For example, apps with an in-app purchase to remove ads or unlock functionality can embed the product identifier list in the app bundle. - You expect users to update the app to see new in-app purchase products. - The app or product doesn’t require a server. Include a property list file in your app bundle containing an array of product identifiers, such as the following: ```xml com.example.level1 com.example.level2 com.example.rocket_car ``` To get product identifiers from the property list, locate the file in the app bundle and read it. ```objc NSURL *url = [[NSBundle mainBundle] URLForResource:@"product_ids" withExtension:@"plist"]; NSArray *productIdentifiers = [NSArray arrayWithContentsOfURL:url]; ``` ### Retrieve product IDs from your server Store the product identifiers on your server if: - You update the list of in-app products frequently, without updating your app. For example, games that support additional levels or characters can fetch the product identifiers list from your server. - The products consist of delivered content. - Your app or product requires a server. Host a JSON file on your server with the product identifiers. For example, the following JSON file contains three product IDs: ```xml [ "com.example.level1", "com.example.level2", "com.example.rocket_car" ] ``` To get product identifiers from your server, fetch and read the JSON file. ```objc - (void)fetchProductIdentifiersFromURL:(NSURL *)url delegate:(id)delegate { dispatch_queue_t global_queue = dispatch_get_global_queue(DISPATCH_QUEUE_PRIORITY_DEFAULT, 0); dispatch_async(global_queue, ^{ NSError *err; NSData *jsonData = [NSData dataWithContentsOfURL:url options:NULL error:&err]; if (!jsonData) { /* Handle the error. */ } NSArray *productIdentifiers = [NSJSONSerialization JSONObjectWithData:jsonData options:NULL error:&err]; if (!productIdentifiers) { /* Handle the error. */ } dispatch_queue_t main_queue = dispatch_get_main_queue(); dispatch_async(main_queue, ^{ [delegate displayProducts:productIdentifiers]; // Custom method. }); }); } ``` Consider versioning the JSON file so future versions of your app can change its structure without breaking older versions of your app. For example, you might name the file that uses the old structure `products_v1.json` and the file that uses a new structure `products_v2.json`. This is especially useful if your JSON file is more complex than the simple array in the example. To ensure that your app remains responsive, use a background thread to download the JSON file and extract the list of product identifiers. To minimize the data that transfers, use standard HTTP caching mechanisms, such as the `Last-Modified` and `If-Modified-Since` headers. After loading all in-app product identifiers, pass them into the product information request to the App Store. For details on obtaining product information, see [Fetching product information from the App Store](/documentation/StoreKit/fetching-product-information-from-the-app-store). --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)