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Windows Store Targeted app distribution - additional delay before store listing URL works

I published my Windows Phone app using the steps listed here:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/jj619160(v=vs.105).aspx

When your app has passed certification and is published or ready to be published, we’ll send you an e-mail. After the app is published, you can find the Store link to the app in the app Detail view in the Dev Center. Copy the link and then send it to all users who you want to be able install your app.

When I click the store listing URL, which looks correct (has the same ID as my app), I just get a Windows Phone page with nice header and footer, but where the app info should be it just says:

The page you want doesn't exist on this site.

It's not a browser generated or connection type (404) error page, just seems like Windows Store doesn't think my app exists.

It doesn't say anything about "wait another few hours before the store listing is available", but likely that is all I need to do?

I guess I'll probably be able to answer this myself by just waiting, and maybe I will if no other answers come in before that. I'm impatient, and since I'm not alone, hopefully this will help future SO visitors.

I have waited over an hour now, which might not seem like long, but it only took 15 minutes for them to review + approve my app, and I would think that is usually the longer part (with Apple that part can take weeks).

In case not obvious, this is the format of the URL I'm clicking (numbers removed for privacy):

http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=########-####-####-####-############

enter image description here

Above is an image of the link I am clicking on. Note it says "Hidden from store: yes" -- which I think is how it should be. I only want people with the URL to be able to see it (I want to do some final testing before making it public/final).

This is the page I'm seeing when I click the link:

enter image description here

Solution

  • For future readers... this IS normal. Finally found the info here:

    https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/jj206729(v=vs.105).aspx

    The submission has been applied and your app or in-app product has been created or updated accordingly. It may take up to 24 hours for the app or in-app product (new or update) to show up in the Store.

    With some of the other app stores they say something similar, but it really means "before it shows up in the store listing or searches", but usually the direct URL (deep link) works right away.

    Also confirmed in an email response from Microsoft tech support:

    Brand new app submission (1st time)

    When you click the deeplink it may show not found up until 48 hours. Most cases you should be able to click the deeplink within a few hours

    App is already published (submitted an update)

    Deeplink should still work however you may see the old ver # until the update has synced up. This is where it can take 12-24 hours for the update to appear.