In-app purchases with multiple accounts

Question

I am facing a problem with in app purchases/subscriptions:

If there are multiple accounts on the device, I can't get the purchases, which were made with the second account. This can sometimes be temporarily fixed, by installing the app from the Google Play web interface, but after a while, the purchases won't appear in the query, forcing the user to reinstall.

I am using the IabHelper classes from this sample.

Doing some Google searches, I found that this bug exists since a while, but unfortunately I couldn't find out if the error is in the IabHelper classes or on Google's side.

I'd like to draw attention to Google, so they provide a proper fix for this, either in the IabHelper classes or in the Play Services or to provide information, how this should be handled.

I am using the code in an app with (at the time of writing) 900.000 active user installs and I have to trigger quite a lot of refunds, due to this.

If there is a fix for this, which I missed, please let me know.

Edit: Sometimes it's not possible at all to retrieve the purchases, even if there is only one account on the phone.

Answer 1

It seems like there isn't a one way road to solve this, but let's try do this.

1. When the user first install the app get his/her primary email or all accounts on the device

2. Ask the user what email will they be using for future payment/ or which account is active for google play.

   you can use this code to get the account

   Pattern emailPattern = Patterns.EMAIL_ADDRESS; // API level 8+
   Account[] accounts = AccountManager.get(context).getAccounts();
   for (Account account : accounts) {
       if (emailPattern.matcher(account.name).matches()) {
           String possibleEmail = account.name;
           ...
       }
   }
   

   Don't forget to ask for permission

   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS" />
   

   After the user selects the email, you can send a link via email to confirm this email address

3. Lead all the payment to that specific email.

Method 2

Use the new "Send & Receive money using Gmail" future

1. Create a email intent and send specific data to the email intent and make payments.

2. Upon success, send a code to the user email

3. Use the code to activate whatever purchased they make.

Method 3

Use another payment library or gateway for your in app purchase instead of Google play.