The App Store has a series of rules that, like it or not, are the ones that remain in force to date. Up to now, return policy is solely up to Apple. Developers cannot know which people have requested a refund from the app or from an in-app purchase. This has put developers on the warpath because done the law done the snare and many users took advantage of this lack of vigilance. In this WWDC Apple has introduced a notification system to keep developers up to date on refunds and returns.
Developers get a little more control over reimbursements
Create a great in-app shopping experience for your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch apps. Find out how to handle refunds, integrate new notifications from the App Store server, and find out how to use receipts and server notifications to manage subscriber status. We'll also walk you through the latest updates on StoreKit, including Apple Watch in-app purchases, Family Sharing, SKOverlay, SKAdNetwork, and more.
Currently, Apple fully handles returns and refunds of applications and / or consumable purchases, non-consumables or non-renewable subscriptions. Also, developers cannot participate in this process. At times, it has been seen that some users return an app, but can still use it because nobody monitors if they continue to use it or not. For developers this is an unfair practice and a large part of the problem is that they cannot know who has returned a subscription or a certain application to carry out some actions or others on their account.
In this WWDC 2020 Apple has wanted to modify this policy a bit. These novelties have been announced in the online conference call 'What's new in purchases within the application'. Among many new features, we will focus on the new refund notification system for developers. After executing a refund, Apple will send notifications with information regarding the transaction to the developer.
In this way, the developer can take action on the matter and discuss the refund with the user and modify their account to prevent you from continuing to use something that you have likely returned. Apple has ensured that this new function is already available to developers. They will be able to update their apps to integrate these notifications between the servers of the Big Apple and their own.