March 2020 Summaries

Testing App Store subscriptions in iOS is a challenging but essential task for developers, exacerbated by limited documentation and resources from Apple. This guide offers comprehensive strategies for testing subscriptions across three key environments: the developer sandbox, TestFlight, and the production App Store. Each environment presents unique quirks, such as the unreliable nature of the developer sandbox and the 24-hour subscription renewal rate in TestFlight, which formerly allowed for rapid testing. Developers are advised to employ StoreKitTest for local simulation of subscription behaviors but are encouraged to conduct final tests in the sandbox to ensure proper configuration in App Store Connect. The guide also highlights the importance of understanding subscription renewal and expiration nuances in these environments, along with practical tips on using sandbox accounts, managing subscription states, and engaging beta testers effectively. Additionally, the guide covers testing procedures for various scenarios, including subscription renewals, cancellations, and restorations, and offers insights into implementing features like introductory offers and promo codes for a seamless user experience.

Collecting feedback from users who cancel during a trial is essential for improving conversion rates and enhancing the overall trial experience of an app. This tutorial outlines a process using Subscriber Attributes and Zapier to send customized feedback surveys to users when they unsubscribe from a free trial, without the need for server code. By capturing user emails and favorite workout preferences during onboarding and utilizing Zapier to handle subscription status changes from RevenueCat, the process filters events to target only trial cancellations. A personalized email survey is then sent to these users, encouraging them to share their reasons for cancellation, with the goal of identifying areas for improvement. The tutorial also provides an optional step for tracking survey recipients using the RevenueCat REST API and suggests extending the use of Subscriber Attributes to engage users at other critical points in the app.