How do I test non approved in-app purchases?

Question

I have a new non-consumable in-app purchase which cannot pass the review process because the reviewer can't test it. I have the new version of the app pending developer release, but I do not want to release the new version that contains the purchase until I have tested it myself. Is this a chicken and the egg problem?

This is my Review Note:

"

Guideline 3.1.1 - Business - Payments - In-App Purchase

We have begun the review of your in-app purchases but aren't able to continue because your submitted in-app purchases indicate a change of business model for your app.

Specifically, your existing Consumable business model has changed to include a Non-Consumable in-app purchase business model type.

Therefore, we need to verify the implementation of your submitted in-app purchases in the app to ensure your app, and its in-app purchases, are in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines.

Next Steps

In order to approve your new in-app purchase business model, we have to verify the purchasability of the items being sold. Please upload a new binary and make sure that your new in-app purchase products are available for purchase at the time of review.

"

Not sure what am I suppose to do here? Just release the app and hope for the best?

App Review

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Posted by

SashaK1

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Answer 1

Of course not.

There is a sandbox environment for testing IAPs. It is well documented in the Apple literature on IAPs. You can change your app so that it reflects the new IAPs and submit that changed app together with the new IAPs. Only after that new app and new IAPs are approved will it replace the current app with the old IAPs.

App Review is requiring that you submit a new binary of your app together with the new IAPs. Recall that the first IAP of an app must be submitted with a new binary. Only after the first IAP is approved may you submit additional IAPs for approval independent of a new binary. And in your case - they are saying 'no' to that 'may submit additional IAP without a new binary' because you are changing your business model from consumable to non-consumable IAP.

Posted by

PBK

it's been 5 years but perhaps you'll answer. Thanks for this old answer.

Since the App is already in the App Store, I do not think I can submit the the "changed app together with the new IAPs" (the app review seems separate) ... I guess I submit the app for review and then submit the subs when the app is queued for review? Approved?

Everything works in TestFlight and sandbox. I'd just like to know how this works.

—
dr2050

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Answer 2

Of course not.

There is a sandbox environment for testing IAPs. It is well documented in the Apple literature on IAPs. You can change your app so that it reflects the new IAPs and submit that changed app together with the new IAPs. Only after that new app and new IAPs are approved will it replace the current app with the old IAPs.

App Review is requiring that you submit a new binary of your app together with the new IAPs. Recall that the first IAP of an app must be submitted with a new binary. Only after the first IAP is approved may you submit additional IAPs for approval independent of a new binary. And in your case - they are saying 'no' to that 'may submit additional IAP without a new binary' because you are changing your business model from consumable to non-consumable IAP.

Posted by

PBK

it's been 5 years but perhaps you'll answer. Thanks for this old answer.

Since the App is already in the App Store, I do not think I can submit the the "changed app together with the new IAPs" (the app review seems separate) ... I guess I submit the app for review and then submit the subs when the app is queued for review? Approved?

Everything works in TestFlight and sandbox. I'd just like to know how this works.

—
dr2050

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Answer 3

PBK same issue here and I'm not being able to pass through the review for the second time now. Can you please be more clear about the steps I need to go through to fix this issue? Thanks

Posted by

ricardomatt

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Answer 4

Does your IAP work in the sandbox test system?

Posted by

PBK

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Answer 5

Thank you for your response.

I did not want to post a response until I managed to resolve the issue.

You are correct - In-app purchases can be tested with test accounts without being approved for release. This was a wrong assumption on my part that even for testing the new purchase needs to ba approved.

After testing I still had problems with getting the In-app purchase approved, but the reason ultimately was reviewer error which seems to happen a lot lately. The app binary and in-app purchase were approved after some back and forth with the reviewers where I had to explicitly say that the binary for testing the In-app purchase is pending developer release.

Posted by

SashaK1

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How do I test non approved in-app purchases?

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