in-app purchase not working in store version

In-app purchase is not working in the version of the app downloaded through the store. This works perfectly in the test-flight version.
You see that the price is (null) and then the purchase itself doesn't go through. When creating the app in itunesconnect there was no option to add in-app purchase to the app in the main developer page as detailed in page 22 of the manual here:
https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/LanguagesUtilities/Conceptual/iTunesConnectInAppPurchase_Guide/iTunesConnectInAppPurchase_Guide.pdf
It all works perfectly in the sandbox. I even tried developer rejecting the review, to see if that would help as per this:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10366184/in-app-purchases-cannot-be-added-to-this-version-because-it-has-already-been-sub
It did not help.
Is the document out of date? Am I doing something wrong? I have resubmitted a new app with new features as well as a different in-app purchase to see if we can get more debug info or if it will just start working.

There’s this also, which means we may just need to be patient. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6355442/in-app-purchase-not-working-in-released-version

Accepted Reply

First, you often need to wait 24 to 48 hours after approval for the IAPs to come on line.


But you wrote..."When creating the app in itunesconnect there was no option to add in-app purchase to the app". This option should appear immediately after you add a'screenshot' to the IAP. Did you add a screenshot to each IAP? If you did not select IAPs for inclusion with your binary then you have not submitted them for approval. IAPs that have not been submitted for approval and approved will work in the sandbox environment in test flight and on the simulator but will not appear in the production environment.

  • This accepted answer is incorrect. You do not need to wait 24-48 hours. The system is instantaneous to when the application is published on the store. If it's in the backend, it's in the backend. Period. If its not, well, you need to wait for it to be in the backend. Once approved, it gets automatically added to the backend. The problem is that the App Store Connect website does not always list the in-app purchases to add to a particular App Store version that is to be submitted. This is a problem with engineers simply removing the section where you can click the checkbox. Why do they do this? No idea. Its honestly bonkers. The other problem is that when an in-app purchase is submitted for review, and gets returned to you for "correction", it is impossible to re-submit it back to the store because there is no way to fix the corrections and the newly submitted version won't update to re-send the in-app purchases with the current app version you want to be submitted. This is a technical problem on Apple's side. The only way to fix it is for Apple to go in their and manually fix it.

    This has been a problem for a very long time apparently. No idea how Apple is allowed to continue to use this system and hasn't been hit with a class action law suit. Undue delays are authorized damages in a court of law.

  • This is my problem exactly, "The other problem is that when an in-app purchase is submitted for review, and gets returned to you for "correction", it is impossible to re-submit it back to the store because there is no way to fix the corrections and the newly submitted version won't update to re-send the in-app purchases with the current app version you want to be submitted. This is a technical problem on Apple's side."

    I plan to submit a support ticket. Let me know if you have a solution.

  • Hi, same issue here. Any updates ?? My app is ready for sale but my IAP not showing ,and in testing worked fine. thanks!

Replies

First, you often need to wait 24 to 48 hours after approval for the IAPs to come on line.


But you wrote..."When creating the app in itunesconnect there was no option to add in-app purchase to the app". This option should appear immediately after you add a'screenshot' to the IAP. Did you add a screenshot to each IAP? If you did not select IAPs for inclusion with your binary then you have not submitted them for approval. IAPs that have not been submitted for approval and approved will work in the sandbox environment in test flight and on the simulator but will not appear in the production environment.

  • This accepted answer is incorrect. You do not need to wait 24-48 hours. The system is instantaneous to when the application is published on the store. If it's in the backend, it's in the backend. Period. If its not, well, you need to wait for it to be in the backend. Once approved, it gets automatically added to the backend. The problem is that the App Store Connect website does not always list the in-app purchases to add to a particular App Store version that is to be submitted. This is a problem with engineers simply removing the section where you can click the checkbox. Why do they do this? No idea. Its honestly bonkers. The other problem is that when an in-app purchase is submitted for review, and gets returned to you for "correction", it is impossible to re-submit it back to the store because there is no way to fix the corrections and the newly submitted version won't update to re-send the in-app purchases with the current app version you want to be submitted. This is a technical problem on Apple's side. The only way to fix it is for Apple to go in their and manually fix it.

    This has been a problem for a very long time apparently. No idea how Apple is allowed to continue to use this system and hasn't been hit with a class action law suit. Undue delays are authorized damages in a court of law.

  • This is my problem exactly, "The other problem is that when an in-app purchase is submitted for review, and gets returned to you for "correction", it is impossible to re-submit it back to the store because there is no way to fix the corrections and the newly submitted version won't update to re-send the in-app purchases with the current app version you want to be submitted. This is a technical problem on Apple's side."

    I plan to submit a support ticket. Let me know if you have a solution.

  • Hi, same issue here. Any updates ?? My app is ready for sale but my IAP not showing ,and in testing worked fine. thanks!

Is waiting 24 to 48 hours after approval *and release to the App Store* still neccessary at the current time?

I'm having a similar issue where now 5 hours after approval and release, in-app purchases - only in Production - don't work. In development/sandbox, they work fine.


How do we avoid this? Customers want the app to work as soon as released, no?

>Customers want the app to work as soon as released, no?


You mean those that haven't learned to not trust the process yet?

This seems kinda crazy, I am currently expereiencing this now. Why would they allow an app to release if their infrastructure isnt. in place to facitlitate it? They get to handle purchasing, yet they allow our app to launch with their servers not updated fully? Seems wrong given that we give them 30% of our earnings...

I was wondering how long this ended up taking for you to resolve? I'm having this issue right now too.

if you don't mind me asking. How long did it take to work itself out?

Did you manage to figure out how to fix this issue? I'm experiencing the same now.

I have had several European customers (I am USA based) that have had to wait 24 hours before the in-app purchase from my Mac app

would be acknowledged. It has happened 3 times, but US customers do not have this problem.


The app has been out a long time. It is not a new app.

How long or how did you manage to solve this issue?


I'm having this issue right now as well. Only 3/8 iAP products are properly loaded 30 hours after the app has been released. ONLY in production version. I'm based in northern Europe, it might work fine in the US.


This is only happening in production version. Test versions, Google Play all work as they should.

For the next who will face this issue.

I'd met same issue now. And it takes for me up to 54 hours after app approval to purchases becomes online. But in the end everything's fine, they all online now. But definitely not best experience for me.

My approved in app purchases have worked inside live app after 67 hours from "Ready for sale". I'm really frustrated for such a long time, Apple should do something about this issue, it's 2019 but we are facing this issue yet

Currently going through this myself now. It's an absolute farce and really embarrassing for a company of Apples stature to have such inadequte infrastructure. Been waiting 6 hours now and I have quite a few people enquiring what is going on. It's a shocking customer exeprience. It just works, right? These reports of 50 - 60 hours are very concerning for me. Apple, fix your s**t.


EDIT:

20 hours now and still nothing. This is absolutely ridiculous and it's costing me sales. Anyone from Apple fancy commenting on this? Do you think it's an acceptable experience for your users and devs? Also, why aren't we warned that this can happen before creating the IAP? Having the info buried in a tech note doesn't count.


EDIT 2:

33 hours in and the wait continues. The best thing is that I'm now receiving 1 star reviews because the IAP doesn't work! Thanks Apple...

Hey, I'm currently experiencing the same issue, it returns me a failure immediately and in case of restoring it returns: "Cannot connect to iTunes".

How many hours have you had to wait so it started to work?

Thanks

I am facing another issue. Not sure if this is similar to this. This is the first time I am submitting the app with In-App purchases. Initially the app got rejected and then I submitted a release for the Approval of In-App Packages created and it is approved. But I am not able to see that when I create a new version to release and go to In-App Purchases section and click on add. I see the test accounts but not the approved one.

It's been 56 hours since the app has been on sale, and no sign of IAP(PROD only). This is not good.