When the time came for Melbourne-based entrepreneur Luke Meehan to publish an app in the App Store, he faced a two-month delay in getting it listed.
It was easy enough—and cheap, costing a one-off fee of just AU$30—to register and publish in the Google Play store. But the Apple Store required him to submit a DUNS number as part of the registration process, which costs AU$99 (a fee that recurs annually).
A DUNS number is “a unique nine-digit identification sequence which provides unique identifiers of single business entities,” according to the website of Dunn & Bradstreet, the organization that issues the numbers.
“That might be common to companies in the US,” says Luke, “but it’s certainly not common to companies in Australia, let alone small startups or small companies.”
And, he points out, it’s probably not common for developers in other countries outside the US.
Different Developers, Different Registration Requirements
Importantly, the DUNS number is only required to join the Standard iOS Developer Program if you’re a company. If you’re an individual or sole trader wanting to publish apps, you can join that same program without the number.
It’s free to register for a DUNS number, but outside the US, it’s not quick.
Luke explains:
“If you haven’t got a DUNS number, it takes 15 days for it to be created, then it takes another 15 days for it to actually be replicated across to Apple’s databases.”
“There’s very little communication during the process,” he adds. “The only way to check progress is by emailing support.”
When Luke’s application stalled, he wasn’t alerted to that fact. It was only when he emailed support to find out why the application was taking so long that he was told he needed to provide more information.
A customer service rep from Dunn and Bradstreet told me that the number creation process takes around 4 business days, but updating the DUNS international database, which is used by Apple, can take up to 14 business days.
The information Apple provides on this process suggest much shorter timeframes than Luke experienced, possibly because US DUNS numbers don’t need to be added to the international database before Apple can access them.
But any company outside the US that wants to join the iOS Developer Program needs to know about this lag.
“So when we were starting out, there was a eight-week delay before we could publish an app,” Luke says.
Why Is a DUNS Number Needed?
Apple doesn’t seem to have explained this, though some have speculated that it’s just a simple way of verifying a company’s credentials.
The D&B website explains only that:
“Companies worldwide use the DUNS Number to link information about suppliers, customers and trading partners, providing a more complete picture of the risk and opportunity in their business relationships.”
What It Means for App Owners and Developers
If you’re taking ownership of an iOS app from its original developer, you’ll be needing an iOS Developer Program membership so you can control that app within the App Store, publish new versions of it, add others (if that’s what you have in mind), and so on.
If you’re running a company outside the US, and you don’t have a DUNS number, make sure you allow time for that process to take place as part of joining the iOS Developer Program.
Further, Luke explains that the iOS Developer Program membership registration process really seems to be focused on developers.
“For non-technical sole proprietor small businesses we have to invest a significant amount of time to walk them through the process of obtaining an ID. In some sections, they might as well be reading forms written in a foreign language.”
Will this approach change, as more and more non-technical business people—not developers—are required to gain memberships in order to publish apps they’ve bought (or commissioned)? We’ll have to wait and see.
On the plus side, Luke adds that it’s much easier to publish to the Google Play store where, he says, “the app ID creation process is very simple, very quick.”
“You create an app publishing ID. It costs you $30 as a once-off fee. It’s not recurring like the Apple one, and it’s just a much easier process. There’s no app ID for type A and app ID for type B, and for type B a four-week process to have a credit agency review your application.”
Just as well! App marketplace registration may take time for the new app owner or developer, but once it’s done, it’s done. Have you joined either the App Store or Google Play recently? Share your experience with us in the comments.
Photo credit: Matthew
