Testing Android In-App purchase with real products

Question

im trying to test In App purchases for my android app:

I already read the android developer sites about testing and I already have worked successfully with the play stores build in test/fake product-items like android.test.purchased, android.test.canceled ...

Now I would like to test In App purchases with my own real products. Therefore I have specified my own products in the Google Play Store Developer Console.

My question: According to the android developers guide, it should be possible to buy this real item without transferring real money, by simply adding a gmail Account into the App settings (under the section LICENSE TESTING) in the Play Store Developer Console.

LICENSE TESTING In addition to the owner of this console the following users will get the License test response from the application. They can also make in-app purchases from APKs that have been uploaded but not been published yet.

So if login to google play store on my test device with a gmail account, that I have added to this LICENSE TESTING section, I should be able to buy items, without transferring real money? Did I get it right? Has anyone experience with testing in app purchases and can give me some useful advises?

Answer 1

From my recent experience. With a different gmail account from the developer it is possible to buy in app purchases which are published for an app that has been uploaded but not published. You have to exchange real money but it is possible to refund the money. I think you would lose the 30% transaction fee to Google.

Answer 2

Don't know if this is relevant, but here's a good guide for testing purchases, including test purchase accounts in google:

http://developer.android.com/google/play/billing/billing_testing.html

Answer 3

With a test account the IAP will not be charged.

http://developer.android.com/google/play/billing/billing_testing.html

"Test purchases and developer account

Authorized license test accounts are associated with your developer account in Google Play, rather than with a specific APK or package name. Identifying an account as a test account enables it to purchase any of your in-app products without being charged. "