Please Help! Our Apple Developer Account got flagged for removal without explain
My business has been on App Store for 3 years with 30 Apps on the Apps Store. Our revenue just reached a milestone this year that made us unqualified for Small Business Program. We were very grateful for such an accomplishment this year and our small team was prepared and ready for our next milestone next year.
However, one of our apps “Second Phone Number” has recently been rejected and I got a notice from App Review board that our account is flagged for removal, and we have 30 days to appeal. The app has been on the App Store for almost 2 years with no major issues until we submitted the new version.
We were working with the App Review to make changes and to ensure our new app version complies so it can be approved by the App Review Board.
And the last response we received before the removal notice was: “We noticed your app attempts to manipulate customers into making unwanted in-app purchases. Specifically, we noticed that your app displayed a secondary promotion.”
Our app is never designed for unwanted purchase. The App Review Board kept saying they couldn’t decline the subscription and there was no “Back” button displays in the paywall. We replied with screenshot and video to show them that there is a “Back” button and user can decline the subscription and exit the subscription screen by clicking on that. Also, the secondary promotion was a pop-up screen of a special offer that we were running, which never had issues in previous submissions.
However, we listened to the App Review and immediately updated the app’s design accordingly. So instead of having 2 display pages, one is the subscription plan, and another is the special promotion, the app now has 1 display page that offers 3 plans (monthly, regular annual, and special annual plan). Then after a few days of waiting and thinking that our app would be approved, we then received a notice that our account got flagged for removal.
We were very shocked and confused with App Review Board’s decision to terminate our account because the last update we made to the app should have complied with the App Store Guidelines.
What I have done wrong:
I have tried to resubmit the app again and again despite it got rejected multiple times. I should have call Apple support to clarify and make sure before resubmitting it.
What I have tried:
1.Sent appeal to App Review Board
2.Followed up and contacted Apple support for the review/investigation status
3.In our letters, I tried to explain that it might be a big misunderstanding between us and App Review Board and would like a chance to clarify and resolve that.
The appeal got rejected due to: “insufficient information” and all my other emails after that were rejected as well. Apple also mentioned in the termination letter that “Once your Apple Developer Program membership is formally terminated in our systems, you may petition the App Review Board to reinstate your account by completing the Re-instate a Terminated Developer Program Membership form”. I was looking for some tiny hope to reinstate my account
I am so lost and devastated. Our small team has worked very hard over the past 3 years. We learned new skills, invested heavily, and took on debts to grow the business. I never once thought of breaking any App Store Guidelines because it’s the business that feed our families and pay bills. Terminating my sole app developer account means my business is gone, and my team and I now face extreme financial hardship and business bankruptcy. I am very desperate, and I have tried everything I possibly could. Apple was very strict. I couldn’t talk to the Review Board that’s in charge of my case.