94

On this bug report on Github we were asked to raise the issue here.

The issue is simple. The user has two or more accounts on their phone, let's say xyz@gmail.com and abc@gmail.com. They install an app with the account xyz@gmail.com. They purchased some IAP items. The app updated, and now the app is under abc@gmail.com and the user has lost the purchase. This happens a lot when using staged rollouts.

The main issue is that, as developers, we aren't allowed to let the user choose which account to buy with or which account to check for purchases with.

The second issue is that the Play Store app on Android ignores the user account selected. The only workaround for this is to use the Play Store website as described in this workaround on the same bug report.

I don't know what the ideal solution is; all I know is that this is a huge hassle for developers, leading to a lot of 1-star reviews after each update.

EDIT: As pointed out in a comment, when I refer to multiple accounts, I am talking about multiple Google accounts for a single Android user; I am not talking about multiple Android users within the same phone.

casolorz
  • 8,486
  • 19
  • 93
  • 200
  • 7
    Great summary of the issue(s). Just to add a point of clarification: the issue has nothing to do with using different accounts with the multi-user feature on devices but rather signing into multiple Google accounts within the same user. For example, on a phone there usually is only one user (but the user can be signed into multiple Google accounts), while on a tablet, there may be more than one user (where each user could be signed into multiple Google accounts). – ashughes Jun 06 '17 at 19:12
  • 4
    Personally, I think the easiest and most widely useful solution is that the Play Store should report purchases from *all* Google accounts for the current user that are signed in on the device. – ashughes Jun 06 '17 at 19:13
  • 6
    It would also be nice if the purchase flow allowed the user to choose which account they want to make a purchase with, but this is an enhancement that I believe is independent of solving this problem. – ashughes Jun 06 '17 at 19:13
  • 11
    @ashughes as I mentioned on Github issue, I'm already addressing this internally and will update here when I have some feedback. Thanks – Neto Marin Jun 06 '17 at 21:38
  • 3
    @casolorz this feature is under development, but unfortunately I don't have an ETA to share. When it's ready, I'll update this question. – Neto Marin Dec 28 '17 at 22:14
  • If a device officially supports multiple, concurrent accounts, then I think the vendor should present the option to the user (or confirm with them) that this is going to be installed against account xyz vs. abc... or the vendor (Google) needs to help resolve this after the fact. That said, this sounds like a slippery slope to piracy/bending the rules... so I can see their hesitation... if not designed and executed really well. – scunliffe Dec 26 '22 at 21:58
  • As an Android user for years and one with 3 google accounts currently across two devices, I don't have this problem anymore and haven't in years. I've been using Android over 10 years, and it's been easily 5+ since I've seen this. If I choose the correct account that I purchased something with, I can download it on either phone for free. This even works if I sign into an app with one account and then purchase something with my only play store account that has a payment method tied to it. I'm not sure what the cause of your issues are, but it doesn't seem to be Android anymore. – DubStep May 31 '23 at 13:18

1 Answers1

1

Unfortunately, as you mentioned, developers do not have control over which account is used for purchases or updates through the Play Store app on Android. This behavior is determined by the Play Store app and the account settings on the user's device.

One possible workaround is to implement a solution within your app to handle multiple accounts and restore purchases across different accounts. Here's a general approach you can consider:

  1. Implement a user account system within your app: Allow users to create accounts within your app or sign in using their Google accounts. Associate the purchased content with the user's account rather than relying solely on the Google account used for the purchase.

  2. Provide "Restore Purchases" functionality Within your app. Offer a way for users to restore their purchases. When a user signs in with their account, you can verify their previous purchases and grant access to the content associated with their account.

  3. Communicate with a server or cloud-based storage: Store the purchase information on a server or use cloud-based storage to associate purchases with user accounts. This way, even if the Play Store updates or reinstalls the app with a different account, you can still retrieve the purchase information and grant access to the content.

  4. Educate users about account management: Inform users about the potential issue of losing access to purchases when using multiple accounts and encourage them to use a consistent account across updates and installations. You can provide instructions or prompts within the app to guide users in managing their accounts and purchases effectively.

While this solution requires additional development effort, it can help mitigate the issue of losing access to purchased content when different accounts are used for updates or installations. By associating purchases with user accounts within your app and providing a restore mechanism, users can regain access to their content regardless of the account used for updates.

Additionally, consider providing clear instructions and guidance within your app and on your app's store listing page to inform users about the potential issue and steps they can take to ensure a smooth experience with their purchases.

M.Abdullah Iqbal
  • 219
  • 1
  • 17
MilanDulals
  • 113
  • 4