App store in-app purchse review guideline 3.1.1

Hello


We are into business of selling minutes to users to call around the world. We are already running our business through websites and offline(via distributors).Now, we are coming out with an App which will help them provide more ease for making calls.. We have designed flow such that users will be able to select plan or renew existing plan. For payment, we will be using 3rd party payment gateway.


As I understand from Apple's App store guideline 3.1.1, selling of digital goods comes under IAP. Is selling minutes catogerised as digital goods and services.?


I also want to know few more things.


1. Does IAP applies to every transactions being made by users? Problem that we are facing, If IAP applies to every transaction then 30% commission to Apple will be very high and our business model is not ready to take that much dent in revenue.

2. other alternative could be to increase prices to compensate commission fee but that would create dissatisfaction at user level as they would see two different price for same plan.

3. Is it allowed to redirect users from app to website when performing payment activities? will App be rejected by Apple team?


We do not want to follow illegal practises that some businesses might be following, but at same time giving 30% commision on every transaction will be huge dent in revenue. Please share alternatives to reduce this dent

Up vote post of Ravi Malviya Panamax Down vote post of Ravi Malviya Panamax
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Ravi Malviya Panamax
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You could consider operating under these guidelines:


3.1.3(a) “Reader” Apps: Apps may allow a user to access previously purchased content or content subscriptions (specifically: ...... VoIP....), provided that you agree not to directly or indirectly target iOS users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase, and your general communications about other purchasing methods are not designed to discourage use of in-app purchase.


or


3.1.3(b) Multiplatform Services: Apps that operate across multiple platforms may allow users to access content, subscriptions, or features they have acquired in your app on other platforms or your web site, including consumable items in multiplatform games, provided those items are also available as in-app purchases within the app. You must not directly or indirectly target iOS users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase, and your general communications about other purchasing methods must not discourage use of in-app purchase.



[added with edit....]

Regarding your questions

1. Does IAP applies to every transactions being made by users? Yes

3. Is it allowed to redirect users from app to website when performing payment activities? Since what you want to do is sell VOIP to use within the app, you must use IAP within the App and you may not suggest, within the app, that the user can get a discount outside the app. But you can allow the outside-the-app purchase to be used within the app as per these guidelines.

Posted by
PBK
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Sorry if I missed it, are you the principal, or are you brokering those 'minutes'?

Posted by
KMT
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