[Android] requestPurchase returns empty array

[renatomserra]

On Android calling requestPurchase returns an empty array always.

      const purchases = await requestPurchase({
        request: {
          apple: {sku: selectedPackage},
          google: {skus: [selectedPackage]},
        },
        type: 'in-app',
      });

"react-native": "0.79.7",
"react-native-iap": "14.7.6",

[gitdogdev]

@renatomserra Issue Analysis:

Your code is awaiting requestPurchase() expecting it to return purchase data, but this is not how the API works. This is a design pattern issue, not a bug.

Root Cause:

In v14.6+, requestPurchase() returns Promise<void> and is event-driven. Purchase results are delivered through:

• onPurchaseSuccess callback (if using useIAP hook)
• purchaseUpdatedListener event (if using root API)
• onPurchaseError callback for errors

See: src/index.ts:1640-1750 - requestPurchase implementation and docs/docs/api/use-iap.md for hook semantics.

Why Empty Array?

Your code likely doesn't await the purchase event properly. The purchases variable gets assigned nothing because requestPurchase() returns void.

Correct Pattern with useIAP Hook:

const { requestPurchase, purchases, getProducts } = useIAP();

const handlePurchase = async (productId: string) => {
  try {
    // requestPurchase returns Promise<void>, not purchase data
    await requestPurchase({
      sku: productId,
      // other options...
    });
    
    // Purchase result comes through the purchases state/callback
    // NOT from the return value of requestPurchase
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Purchase request failed:', error);
  }
};

// Monitor purchases through the hook's purchases state
useEffect(() => {
  if (purchases && purchases.length > 0) {
    const latestPurchase = purchases[purchases.length - 1];
    console.log('Purchase completed:', latestPurchase);
    // Handle successful purchase here
  }
}, [purchases]);

Correct Pattern with Root API (Event Listener):

import { requestPurchase, purchaseUpdatedListener } from 'react-native-iap';

const handlePurchase = async (productId: string) => {
  try {
    await requestPurchase({
      sku: productId,
    });
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Purchase request failed:', error);
  }
};

// Set up listener ONCE (in useEffect or app initialization)
useEffect(() => {
  const purchaseListener = purchaseUpdatedListener(
    (purchase: Purchase) => {
      console.log('Purchase successful:', purchase);
      // Process purchase here
    }
  );

  return () => {
    purchaseListener.remove();
  };
}, []);

Key Differences:

Approach	Returns	Data Delivery
useIAP hook	Promise<void>	purchases state + onPurchaseSuccess callback
Root API	Promise<void>	purchaseUpdatedListener event

Debugging Steps:

1. Verify hook setup - Ensure IAP.init() is called before mounting component
2. Check listener attachment - Log inside onPurchaseSuccess/purchaseUpdatedListener to confirm it fires
3. Validate SKU - Use getProducts() first to confirm product IDs are correct
4. Platform-specific issues - Android requires BILLING permission in AndroidManifest.xml

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• ❌ const result = await requestPurchase() then using result (it's always undefined)
• ❌ Not awaiting IAP.init() before calling requestPurchase()
• ❌ Setting up listeners inside render function (causes multiple listeners)
• ❌ Forgetting to remove listeners on component unmount

If you're still getting an empty array, share your full component code and I can identify the specific issue.

---

🤖 Generated by gitdog.dev · Have more questions? Tag @gitdog and let me know!

[hyochan]

@GitDog Feedback on your response:

Correct:

• Core advice is accurate - purchase results come through onPurchaseSuccess callback, not the return value
• useIAP hook's requestPurchase returns Promise<void>

Incorrect:

• Code example format doesn't match current API. Correct format:

await requestPurchase({
  request: {
    apple: { sku: productId },
    google: { skus: [productId] },
  },
  type: 'in-app',
});

---

@renatomserra As Gitdog mentioned, this is expected behavior. The requestPurchase in useIAP hook returns Promise<void> by design. Purchase results are delivered through the onPurchaseSuccess callback.

Correct usage with useIAP hook:

import { useIAP } from 'react-native-iap';

const { requestPurchase } = useIAP({
  onPurchaseSuccess: (purchase) => {
    console.log('Purchase successful:', purchase);
    // Handle your purchase here
  },
  onPurchaseError: (error) => {
    console.error('Purchase failed:', error);
  },
});

const handlePurchase = async () => {
  // Don't expect data from return value - it returns void
  await requestPurchase({
    request: {
      apple: { sku: selectedPackage },
      google: { skus: [selectedPackage] },
    },
    type: 'in-app',
  });
};

Alternative with root API (if you need the return value):

import {
  requestPurchase,
  purchaseUpdatedListener,
  purchaseErrorListener
} from 'react-native-iap';

// Set up listeners first
useEffect(() => {
  const purchaseSub = purchaseUpdatedListener((purchase) => {
    console.log('Purchase successful:', purchase);
  });
  const errorSub = purchaseErrorListener((error) => {
    console.error('Purchase failed:', error);
  });

  return () => {
    purchaseSub.remove();
    errorSub.remove();
  };
}, []);

// Root API returns Promise<RequestPurchaseResult | null>
// but actual purchase data comes through listeners
const result = await requestPurchase({
  request: {
    apple: { sku: selectedPackage },
    google: { skus: [selectedPackage] },
  },
  type: 'in-app',
});

For more details, see the documentation: https://www.openiap.dev/docs/apis/purchase#request-apis

[renatomserra]

got it thank you