App rejected for sandbox purchasing issues

App Store Distribution & Marketing App Review
raymondatripl OP
Created Nov ’18
Replies 36
Boosts 0
Views 13k
Participants 34

Hi,

Our app recently has been getting rejected for not being able to purchase, even though when we test on both development signed builds (xcode with Sandbox users), and with TestFlight, the sandbox purchasing is working fine.


The app store reviewers insist it is a problem with handling sandbox receipts, but we already correctly do the suggested approach of first validating with the prod endpoint, and then trying the sandbox one if the specific error is returned. Additionally, our data seems to indicate that the reviewers are getting the errors BEFORE we even get to the stage of verifying the receipt.


The errors are usually "Cannot connect to iTunes store" or other similarly unhelpful messages that indiciate a generic problem when issuing a SKReceiptRefreshRequest.


Recently, our in app purchases had new Description text added, but when they reject the build they turn red and say "Proposed changes have been rejected". Is this a symptom or a cause? Does that mean they got rejected because the app got rejected? Or could it be causing the problems somehow? Regardless, changing this text seemed to lead to the same rejection....


We can't really file a bug report because we cannot reproduce the errors that the app reviewers are experiencing... what should we do?

Replies  36
Boosts  0
Views  13k
Participants  34
PBK OP
Nov ’18

Two things are unclear in your post and may be the source of your problem.


1) "and then trying the sandbox one if the specific error is returned." But you never tested this so are you sure it is sensing the correct "specific error"?


2) "new Description text added, but when they reject the build they turn red and say 'Proposed changes have been rejected'. Is this a symptom or a cause?" That would be the cause of a rejection. If an IAP is "rejected" - not 'needs developer action' - then that productIdentfier would be forever rejected and will never work again. I do not know from your description whether your IAP was rejected or classified as 'needs developer action' but 'red' rather than 'yellow' suggests rejected. If so, you need a new productIdentifier. I do not know if a rejected productIdentfiier will work in the sandbox - that could be the source of your problem.

0
raymondatripl OP
Nov ’18

Hi PBK,

We did test this on Test flight, and it correctly goes to production (buy.itunes.com), gets a "Sandbox on production error", and then correctly uses the sandbox.itunes.com url. Additionally, we have data to support that the reviewers are never even making it to this point.


I'm sorry, the "red" was referring to the stop-sign symbols on the App Features page. The color of the error is yellow on the individual subscriptions.

0
PBK OP
Nov ’18

Maybe it was a bad night for App Review. Ask them to try again telling them it works correctly in your hands - and if they are getting the error they are getting it does not involve your handling the receipt.


Are all your banking contracts correct?

0
raymondatripl OP
Nov ’18

We are still getting rejections because of sandbox purchasing issues. How do we tell the reviewers that something else must be going on? The sandbox purchasing works perfectly when we try it, but gives generic cannot connect to iTunes errors when the reviewers try it.

0
john daniel OP
Nov ’18

There is no way to explain away a failure during app review. If the reviewers are experiencing the problem, then they are doing you a favour with the rejection. You would likely have a very high rate of problems when you went live. Don’t assume that your own testing and TestFlight testers are like real people. They are not. In these situations, if you have exausted all internal review and analysis of the problem (hint: you haven’t) then you should use a DTS request to get help.

0
PBK OP
Nov ’18

"Are all your banking contracts correct?"

0
aalina OP
Nov ’18

Hi, I have the same issue. Do you have any news?


Also I found out that my In-App purchase in the Features tab was rejected and highlited by red.


And in the App Store tab under the Build dialog I don't see Add In-App Purchase dialog.

0
OP
Apple
Nov ’18

For those of you experiencing this problem can you send me a direct email and reference this posting. Make sure to include the app ID so that I can review the App Review rejection. My direct email is "rkubota@apple.com". This might be an App Review failure - or it might be something else. If it does appear to be something else, I may have to ask you to submit for a DTS incident.


rich kubota - rkubota@apple.com


developer technical support CoreOS/Hardware/MFI

1
raymondatripl OP
Nov ’18

We literally just kept resubmitting the same build until they approved it finally (about two weeks worth of this...). Our data even showed that even on the submission that got approved, their cursed iPad still exhibited the failure (we send out error events for in app purchase failures). They must have just given up and tried on an iPhone, which succeeded no problem.


I think something was corrupt / broken with the apple id they were using on the iPad they were testing with.

0
faisalbz OP
Nov ’18

I have the same problem when testing the application testFlighet is made in-app purchase well

But when the review is rejected


Apple ID: 1296744161

0
OP
Apple
Dec ’18

I just review the App Store Connect records - looks like the app has been approved.


rich kubota - rkubota@apple.com


developer technical support CoreOS/Hardware/MFI

0
phanbanhut OP
Apr ’20

Hi,

I have the same problem,my IAP App was rejected but IAP in sandbox and TestFlight is fine.

I also sent an email to you


Apple ID: 1508338598

Thank you!

0
imperiumApps OP
Apr ’20

Hi Rich, we have the same issue for the last 10 days now.

I sent you an email as well.


App ID: 1502373148


Thanks,

P

0
Chanan1992 OP
Sep ’20
Hi Rich,

We are facing the same issue for the last 2 weeks now.

I sent you an email as well.

App ID: 1527884988

Thanks,

Chanan van Ooijen
0
kenglou.appxplore OP
Sep ’20
Hi Rich,

We are facing the same issue since last week, which everything is okie during iPhone and iPad Sandbox and Testflight test. 

I sent you an email as well.

App ID: 1498868061

Thanks,
Lee Keng Lou
0
App rejected for sandbox purchasing issues
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