App Ops Desk · Issue #19
StoreKit sandbox ops for solo founders
Money paths are where release ops meet support ops. Sandbox confusion, missing products, and unclear review notes create rejections and one-star reviews that look like “random App Store pain.”
One action this week: Verify one clean sandbox purchase + restore path on the archive build before any paid feature ships to review.
Pre-submit money gate
- Products created and cleared for sale (or ready state) in Connect
- Bundle ID matches the products’ app
- Sandbox Apple ID can buy and restore on a fresh install
- Review notes include sandbox steps / demo if required
- Paywall copy matches actual product durations/prices
Failure modes
- Testing only with StoreKit local config, never sandbox
- Products stuck in missing metadata
- Reviewer hits paywall with no way through
- Restore broken after reinstall
- Introductory offer logic only works on your account
Review note snippet
IAP / subscription test: 1. Open Paywall from Settings → Upgrade 2. Use sandbox account (or provided unlock if applicable) 3. Purchase monthly 4. Kill app, reinstall, tap Restore Expected: entitlement returns without second charge
Bottom line
If money is in the binary, money is in the ship gate. Sandbox buy + restore on the archive build — every paid release.
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