Ability to collect charitable donations within the app

Question

William Quach OP

Created Apr ’18

Replies 2

Boosts 0

Views 1.7k

Participants 3

Hi everyone,

Have got a concern related to the following item.

Guideline 3.2.2 - Business - Other Business Model Issues - Unacceptable
While donations may not be taken within an app, you may provide a link to your website that launches Safari for users to make a donation.

Our questions to the Apple Review Team were the following; unfortunately, they did not give a certain reply but forwarded us to the forums.

1. Is it possible to enter credit card details in the app but redirect users to Safari to make a donation/ payment (along with that we will also send the entered card details to Safari)?

2. Is it possible to select the donation amount in the app (just to enter the figures) but redirect users to Safari to make a donation/ payment (in this case the amount will be already selected in Safari based on what was entered in the app)?

Or both above cases - entering credit card details and selecting donation amount - strictly require being completed in Safari?

Thank you,

Boost

Answer 1

KMT OP

Apr ’18

Can you share the detailed steps in place to make it clear to all users that Apple is not involved in any payment scheme such that if an issue were to arise, there would be no confusion who should be contacted concerning eventual funds distribution, refunds or questions, should they come up, pertaining to fraud, etc.

>they did not give a certain reply but forwarded us to the forums.

They do that when the timer on the call is expiring, but want to appear to be helping - aka bit of theater to get rid of you with a smile. All you can hope for here are the opinions of other devs since app review isn't here, and there are no pre-reviews, leaving you to run the submission/review gauntlet and find out in real time from the only ones that are in a position to actually decide.

My opinion is the guidelines are clear...zero payment action -in- the app...no to both 1 & 2.

Good luck.

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Answer 2

PBK OP

Apr ’18

The current guideline is different from what you quote. It is:

(iv) Unless you are an approved nonprofit or otherwise permitted under Section 3.2.1 (vi) above, collecting funds within the app for charities and fundraisers. Apps that seek to raise money for such causes must be free on the App Store and may only collect funds outside of the app, such as via Safari or SMS.

So you can become an approved non-profit as per 3.2.1(vi). If you are not an approved non-profit then you can't 'collect funds'. What does 'collect' mean? I don't think it means "I agree to contribute $25" (your #2) - that's a pledge not a collection. I do think it means "my credit card number is 1111111111" (your #1) whether or not the payment is processed within the app.

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