Is it possible to purchase a non-consumable Android one-time product more than once on the same Android device?

Question

I have tried to purchase a non-consumable one-time product on my Android phone but I got the exception AlreadyOwned in this line:

 string testpurchaseexcep = purchaseEx.PurchaseError.ToString());

I had already purchased the same one-time product on my Android phone some time ago.

Why am I getting the AlreadyOwned exception?

Is it possible to purchase a non-consumable Android one-time product more than once on the same device?

Answer 1

Hi @Kim Strasser ,

Thanks for reaching out.

This isn’t a Microsoft product, so for the most detailed info it’s usually best to check forums or resources dedicated to Google Play or Android in-app purchases. That said, I can share some insights that should help.

The reason you’re seeing the AlreadyOwned exception is that the item you’re trying to purchase is a non-consumable, one-time product. These products are designed to be purchased only once per Google account. Once you buy them, they are permanently owned, so Google Play won’t allow a second purchase on the same device or account.

In other words, it’s not an error, this is expected behavior. If you’ve reinstalled the app or switched devices, you don’t need to buy it again; you can simply restore your purchase using the same Google account.

If your goal is to allow multiple purchases of the same item, that would require using a consumable product instead, which can be bought multiple times because it’s “used up” each time.

Hope this helps! If my answer was helpful - kindly follow the instructions here so others with the same problem can benefit as well.

Answer 2

In the context of Android in-app purchases, a non-consumable product is designed to be purchased only once. Once you purchase a non-consumable product, it is tied to the user's account and can be restored on the same device or other devices linked to that account. This is why you are encountering the AlreadyOwned exception when trying to purchase the same non-consumable product again.

To summarize, it is not possible to purchase a non-consumable Android one-time product more than once on the same device, as it is intended to be a one-time purchase.