inapp value buy

Solar2D Monetization (in-app purchases, ads, etc.)
#1

Hi All,

I have the following question (this is an iOS, iPad game only):

  1. My current app supports in-app purchase.

  2. The app has 3 non-consumables (additional levels) you can purchase, each 99 cents

I want to add a a “value buy” where you can get all 3 non-consumables for $1.99. The user saves 99 cents and if they enjoy the game I think will be more inclined to buy this way versus separate for 99 each.

I know how to add the “value buy” in app purchase on the apple connect portal.

My question is, if the user buys the value option above…what would prevent them from buying the individual option after the fact? Is there something in the apple store to have dependencies so my value buy = the 3 individual buys?

Should I manage this in code? Seems like it would not be bullet proof.

Any ideas / comments would be greatly appreciated,

Rick

#2

I don’t think there’s a way to manage it in iTunes Connect to indicate that your “value buy” is equivalent to the other products.  You’d need to manage it in code, i.e., when the user buys the “value buy”, you would no longer give them the option to buy the individual products.

  • Andrew
#3

Hi Andrew thanks…

But I think there is a failure case for this…unless I am missing the boat.

  1. User buys “value pack”

  2. User uninstalls app

  3. User reinstalls the app

  4. User does not log in when app starts

  5. User goes to the Inapp purchase page

  6. User clicks to buy a .99 cent inapp (not the value pack)

  7. The user is prompted for store login, the purchase goes through

I guess the issue is when the restore needs to be run. I have a restore button…but the restore is only initiated when pressed.

I also call store.init when the app loads to pull in any remaining downloads.

Am I missing something simple???

Thanks,

Rick

#4

Rick, I understand your situation and I don’t think there’s a simple way to address it.  The value-pack is a separate product from the individual products, the App Store doesn’t know that’s the case, and there’s no way to tell it that they’re related (as far as I know).

You’re right that if the user presses your restore button to launch store.restore(), then the value-pack they previously purchased would be restored.  But if not, there’s nothing to stop them from purchasing the individual products (after a delete and reinstall), like you described.

  • Andrew
#5

I don’t think there’s a way to manage it in iTunes Connect to indicate that your “value buy” is equivalent to the other products.  You’d need to manage it in code, i.e., when the user buys the “value buy”, you would no longer give them the option to buy the individual products.

  • Andrew
#6

Hi Andrew thanks…

But I think there is a failure case for this…unless I am missing the boat.

  1. User buys “value pack”

  2. User uninstalls app

  3. User reinstalls the app

  4. User does not log in when app starts

  5. User goes to the Inapp purchase page

  6. User clicks to buy a .99 cent inapp (not the value pack)

  7. The user is prompted for store login, the purchase goes through

I guess the issue is when the restore needs to be run. I have a restore button…but the restore is only initiated when pressed.

I also call store.init when the app loads to pull in any remaining downloads.

Am I missing something simple???

Thanks,

Rick

#7

Rick, I understand your situation and I don’t think there’s a simple way to address it.  The value-pack is a separate product from the individual products, the App Store doesn’t know that’s the case, and there’s no way to tell it that they’re related (as far as I know).

You’re right that if the user presses your restore button to launch store.restore(), then the value-pack they previously purchased would be restored.  But if not, there’s nothing to stop them from purchasing the individual products (after a delete and reinstall), like you described.

  • Andrew