Mac App Store consumable receipts have empty in_app hash on server side validation

Question

I verify the receipt of in-app-purchases (so called consumables) for the Mac App Store on the server side. The response from Apple's servers usually looks like this:

    { 
      "status"=>0, 
      "environment"=>"Production", 
      "receipt" => 
        { 
          "receipt_type" => "Production", 
          "adam_id"=>410628904, 
          "bundle_id" => "com.company.product", 
          "application_version"=>"1.0.0", 
          "download_id"=>002141541230420, 
          "request_date"=>"2013-10-22 07:53:11 Etc/GMT", 
          "request_date_ms"=>"1382428391914", 
          "request_date_pst"=>"2013-10-22 00:53:11 America/Los_Angeles", 
          "original_purchase_date"=>"2011-08-22 06:05:47 Etc/GMT", 
          "original_purchase_date_ms"=>"1313993147000", 
          "original_purchase_date_pst"=>"2011-08-21 23:05:47 America/Los_Angeles", 
          "original_application_version"=>"1.0.0", 
          "in_app"=> [
            {
              "quantity"=>"1", 
              "product_id"=>"com.company.product.mac_consumable", 
              "transaction_id"=>"9123912391231", 
              "original_transaction_id"=>"51881235936908", 
              "purchase_date"=>"2013-10-22 07:52:06 Etc/GMT", 
              "purchase_date_ms"=>"1382428326000", 
              "purchase_date_pst"=>"2013-10-22 00:52:06 America/Los_Angeles", 
              "original_purchase_date"=>"2013-10-22 07:52:06 Etc/GMT", 
              "original_purchase_date_ms"=>"1382428326000", 
              "original_purchase_date_pst"=>"2013-10-22 00:52:06 America/Los_Angeles", 
              "bundle_id"=>"com.company.product"
              }
         ]
      }
    }

But sometimes we get back information without the in_app hash set:

    { 
      "status"=>0, 
      "environment"=>"Production", 
      "receipt" => 
        { 
          "receipt_type" => "Production", 
          "adam_id"=>312621904, 
          "bundle_id" => "com.company.product", 
          "application_version"=>"1.0.0", 
          "download_id"=>002141541230420, 
          "request_date"=>"2013-10-22 07:53:11 Etc/GMT", 
          "request_date_ms"=>"1382428391914", 
          "request_date_pst"=>"2013-10-22 00:53:11 America/Los_Angeles", 
          "original_purchase_date"=>"2011-08-22 06:05:47 Etc/GMT", 
          "original_purchase_date_ms"=>"1313993147000", 
          "original_purchase_date_pst"=>"2011-08-21 23:05:47 America/Los_Angeles", 
          "original_application_version"=>"1.0.0", 
          "in_app"=> []
      }
    }

Does this mean the receipts are invalid? Should the in_app field always be populated? Or should those receipts be considered valid as well and why is the in_app information empty then?

Answer 1

Does this mean the receipts are invalid?

No, the status value is 0, which according to the docs means that the receipt is valid. It just doesn't contain any in-app purchase “sub-receipts”.

Should the in_app field always be populated?

No, it's possible for a receipt to not contain any in-app purchases.

---

So apparently your problem is that for some reason the receipt your app is sending to your backend doesn't contain information for an in-app purchase, even though you expect it to.

When an in-app purchase transaction enters the "purchased" state, the receipt should be up to date on the client device — you should ensure that you don't try to send the receipt onto your server before this happens.

One other thing to consider trying is SKReceiptRefreshRequest (only available since 10.9, though) — in some edge conditions the receipt might not be up to date, and you'd need to wait for it to update before sending the receipt redemption request to your backend.