App rejected for sandbox purchasing issues

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

Hi Rich,

I've been facing the same issue since last week, my app has been rejected for many times, and it is still being reviewed.

I sent you an email as well.

App ID: 1312014438

Thanks,
Ying
Hi Rich,

I've been facing the same issue since last week, my app has been rejected in App review but works fine in Testflight.

I sent you an email as well.

App ID: 1533689261

Thank you,
Same here, multiple rejections.
Email sent

Cheers,
Tommy

Same here, email sent.

Thank you!
Pablo.
Hi Rich,

We've been facing the same issue for the last 2 months. 

I sent you an email as well.

App ID: 1534889320

Thanks,
B
Hi,

This is our application consistently rejected
https://apps.apple.com/in/app/mint-business-news/id470175900

AppId: 470175900

We have already implemented the verification of receipt first on production and if get status as 21007 then we are validating the same on sandbox a long time back.

Just to know what exactly is failing, we have put now hardcode error messages in our binary 4.25 (4.2):
When Receipt fails in this delegate of StoreKit
func request(_ request: SKRequest, didFailWithError error: Error) { }
Here error will be:
"There is problem connecting with iTunes. Please try again later."

NOTE:- The screenshot given by the apple reviewer shows the above error which proves that this is an error while fetching receipt from apple in the sandbox

Please review the forum link as well where other people/organizations are also facing the same issue.
https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/661351

Request you to please check your receipt server of apple before rejecting the app as it is quite common from the above link.
We have tried debugging from head to toe and found nothing related to the error posted above. However, we encountered this error once when the apple StoreKit wasn't able to provide the receipt and control went to
func request( request: SKRequest, didFailWithError error: Error) { } failure delegate.

So, the thing is that they are not even getting the receipt which proves from the error which we hardcoded in the app that the control is coming in func request(
request: SKRequest, didFailWithError error: Error) { } delegate.
"There is problem connecting with iTunes. Please try again later."

NOTE:
We have tested the same on a real device with the latest iOS(14.3 currently) and not in the simulator.
Also, we have uploaded app purchases many times earlier with this app without any problems. This is the first time in iOS 14 we are facing these continuous rejections.
We have already appealed the same.

If we are unable to understand anything, let us know the next steps.

Please let us know apple reviewer that their StoreKit is constantly failing and it has nothing to do with what they are sending in rejections.

I again believe it is from Apple end where there storekit function always fails
Hi Rich,

I've been facing the same issue, my app is being rejected even though when testing with Test Flights on real devices it works.

I sent you an email as well.

App ID: 1546548278

Thanks,
Ori.
Hi Rich,

I've been facing the same issue, my app is being rejected even though when testing with Test Flights on real devices it works.

I sent you an email as well.

App ID: 1518173404

Thanks,
Thuoc
Same issue, anyone found a solution?
I am also running into this issue as well. I've also sent an email over to Rich.

App ID: 1562588453
  • Sean

Hi Rich,

I've been facing the same issue, my app is being rejected even though when testing with Test Flights on real devices it works.

I sent you an email as well.

App ID: 1562118226

Thanks,
Donald
Hi Rich,

We are facing the same issue, which reviewer cannot finish IAP because app store return empty product list. However, it works well in our test.

I sent you an email as well.

App ID: 1550078466

Thanks

Hi Rich, we have the same issue for the last 7 days now.

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

Apple ID: 1566451825

Thank you very much.

In-App Purchase failure in the apple's review, when the purchase failed, error code 0 , "An unknown error occurred", but works in the Testflight&sandbox. Is there anything that I missed? anyone found a solution, Thanks for your help AppleD:1557609456

My deep search on this forum leads me to say thanks very much Rich for your involvement and reactions regarding the IN-APP famous failure, Fortunately, you are here, because as developers we felt misunderstood, frustrated, and desperate about this recurrent failure..

After 7th rejections, I am approximatively in the same situation described in this thread (app reviewers fetch products with a returned empty set of in-app items, they receive an empty answer in the "productsRequest didReceive" method in answer to the SKProductsRequest(productIdentifiers:) request)

I sent a request to the Technical Support (as you suggested, I read a lot of your advice!) but it was apparently sent to the App Review support with no success.. I requested an appeal and I am waiting for the scheduled call from the nice guys of the App Review teams..

If by chance you read this message, Rich, here is my App ID: 1576135970

Thank you very much