StoreKit App Review Mystery

So trying to release a new (iOS/iPadOS) app and I'm in endless rejection purgatory trying to get it approved along with its first In App purchase product (an auto-renewable subscription). This is the final issue holding back the release and I do not know how to get out of this rejection loop.

First, yes, In App purchase works fine when testing in the sandbox environment. My In App purchase infrastructure is based on the well-regarded StoreHelper Swift package and works great in all my testing.

The rejection is based on the fact the "store" in my app always displays an empty products list when Apple reviews the app. Of course, since they haven't approved my lone subscription product, which has a status of 'Waiting for Review' I'm not surprised they see an empty store, but Apple is apparently surprised and refuses to stop being surprised. All they do is toss a link to the StoreKit documentation at me. So I pore over it looking for clues. Hmm. Hmm. Yeah I know this, I do this, what are you not telling me?

So I'm climbing the walls trying to figure out if indeed I'm overlooking something. Apple, like a pedantic college professor, apparently wants me to figure out on my own. Well I can't. I can't find the secret handshake. So questions:

  1. When I create my .storekit configuration file I do so by syncing with my App in App Store Connect. This works dandy, but do I or do I not include this configuration file with the distribution build I submit for review? I can't find any info on whether this is only for testing or for both production and testing, and since I have to manually add it to my project after creating it, I worry that's not how it's intended to be used. So do I add the .storekit bundle to my app target and leave it there during distribution? (Note: I already do so, wondering if I should not)

  2. Since I'm using fastlane to produce and upload my builds, how can I be sure this StoreKit Configuration is being set correctly (right now I use the pop-up in the Options tab of my Release scheme)? Does it even need to be set when distributing? I assume so.

  3. Apple has this strange ambiguous language about "your first In App purchase must be submitted with a new build". Well, early on there was indeed a way to add my not yet approved Subscription product with the build review request, but now that's gone. So I have this subscription product sitting in "Waiting for Review", I have my working app that can't get approved because it can't see the not yet approved subscription product. Though maybe it can't see it for reasons other than it's not approved yet.

Do I just... wait and hope Apple eventually moves my Subscription product to an approved status and submit again? At my wits end as this is now rejection round 6. I've heard horror stories of similar first In App purchase doom loops going a dozen or more rejection rounds. Developing the app was hard enough but to be stuck in this maddening bureaucracy is killing me.

Many thanks in advance!

Replies

I believe I may have found the issue: a missing W-9 in my US Tax records (I live in Ireland but have dual citizenship). Added it, and my TestFlight build immediately loaded the (still as yet unapproved) products list. I'll update once more if it's all good. Sure wish App Review had said so instead of sending me scouring through technical documentation and code for a week! :)