Connect IQ Store Product page misleading information on monetization status

You're correct that there is some inconsistency here that must be addressed. In the past, our guidelines were to require the flag if your app requires payment for the use of primary features. A common example is a watch face that is free to use, but can unlock the ability to change background colors with payment. That was the intent behind that guideline.

With the imposition of the EU Digital Services Act, we've had to tighten those guidelines so that the flag is required if payment is needed for use of any features in your app. Developers are currently allowed to request donations & tips without the payment required flag for apps that are otherwise free to use.

In the case presented by the OP, the payment required flag should be checked in order to comply with the EU DSA. We know that there is inconsistency between our documentation and the developer dashboard—this will be addressed soon.

*you won't be violating any of them.

*than to go to another page 

Also, I think it would make more sense for the product details page to have the correct monetization rules, because it's the same page where the developer actually has to choose whether payment is required or not, and it's also the page that they see every time the upload / update an app. Not only is the text on the same page, it's right next to the monetization option itself.

They are much more likely to read those rules, and make the appropriate choice based on those rules, then to go to another page in the main developer site or the forums. It's also the most likely place for the Connect IQ team to focus their efforts (again, because the monetization option is right there.)

In other words, for any option in a user interface, given the choice of believing text that's right next to the option as opposed to text that's on a couple of other websites, I know which text I'm going to believe.

Here it is for the benefit of anyone else reading this who hasn't seen it (and for posterity, in case it changes one day):

I think the most logical solution, in the absence of additional information, would be to follow the strictest possible set of rules. That way you can be sure that no matter which set of rules is actually in force, you're won't be violating any of them.

However, jim_m_58 is correct and the current monetization section (which states that "any or all features" should be considered for monetization, and that either requiring or requesting payment is considered "monetization") is the current set of rules.

I agree that the documentation should be clear and consistent.

See here for context on the new rules:

https://forums.garmin.com/developer/connect-iq/f/discussion/362127/can-t-we-have-a-donation-link-in-the-app-description-any-more/1739242#1739242

We've had to make some shifts to our policies in order to be compliant with the Digital Services Act, as described in the rejection message you received. I am not a lawyer, but we have been advised by the Garmin legal team that any app that requires or requests any kind of payment in the app listing on our store, which includes tips and donations, must be flagged "Payment Required."

We haven't updated our policies on developer.garmin.com to reflect this yet, and we're discussing some changes to the store that will provide some nuance to those asking for tips vs. those that actually require payment to use their app. At this time, the only mechanism we have in place is the Payment Required flag.

We'll be auditing existing apps for this at some point, but for now, we're enforcing this policy change on any new app submissions.

I would go by what it says in "Section Monetization" as that's the current rules.  It's changed a few times over the last few months.

The other docs need to be updated and could be from a while back.