Try Try Again Dealing with App Store Rejections
If your submitted iPhone app is rejected by Apple, do not despair. Although painfully frustrating, it is not the end of the world. The nice thing about software is that it can always be modified and resubmitted! In the rejection letter that Apple sends, the reviewers usually explain why it was rejected, and if you're lucky, they sometimes even provide suggestions on how to remedy the issue. For simple things such as inappropriate icons or the incorrect usage of a UI element, making the necessary adjustments should be a no-brainer. It doesn't matter if you agree with the reason or not, the important thing is that you make the requested fixes and resubmit your application. Fortunately, there's no limit to how many times you can resubmit an app, so get back on that horse and keep trying. You've come this far, so don't let a tiny dispute prevent you from making money in the App Store.
For major rejection issues that are not so easily remedied, it's important to remain calm and deal with this as a professional business owner. I know that just the idea of several months of your life being thrown out the window because of an unacceptable app would be enough to drive any person into a screaming frenzy. Your first instinct may be to write a scathing blog post in an effort to rally the troops behind your cause. Social media networks like Twitter and FriendFeed make it entirely too easy to gather an angry mob of online followers, but raging against the machine won't endear you to Apple or the app review team. Yes, they do read blog posts and news sites just like you. Although it might feel personally satisfying to have TechCrunch report on how you're yet another victim of app rejection, that won't help you get into the App Store.
And if Apple's rejection was completely justified because your application violates its established terms and conditions, then you really don't have a good reason to complain. Your loud rants will only make you look unprofessional in the eyes of your peers: the developer community. And it certainly won't win you any points with consumers who read your blog or follow you on Twitter.
If you have a legitimate reason why your app rejection was unjust, then talk to Apple about it. Before pleading your case publically on blogs, Twitter, and even YouTube as some developers have done, try to establish a dialog with the app reviewers who evaluated your app. If that doesn't work, then try contacting the official app review team email address at [email protected] or any Apple executives you personally know.
Always state your case in a thoughtful, clear manner to help them understand your reasoning. Several app rejections have been overturned because of persuasive developer arguments and a quick reevaluation.
No one has said the app review process is perfect. Just remember that the App Store is only a little over one year old. It's still a very young marketplace, and yet it grew in size much faster than Apple (or anyone else) ever anticipated. It's easy to get upset over rejection, but with more than 100,000 apps flooding the App Store, Apple's overworked review team is merely trying to do their job as best they can under such remarkable pressure. Mistakes do happen, but Apple is constantly working to improve the process. Although that kind of sentiment may make me sound like a glorified fanboy, please don't misinterpret my intentions. As a developer myself, I get just as frustrated if my creativity or ambition are limited by the restrictions of the business world, but then I remember that it is a business, and if I want to be a part of it, solving problems with etiquette and professionalism is the only way to truly succeed in the long run.
Apple holds the keys to the kingdom, so if you hope to someday thrive in the App Store, it's in your best interest to maintain a good working relationship with the company and its review team.
Continue reading here: Using Promotions and Giveaways to Improve App Discovery
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