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