How do you find out if you purchased something before?

[SmartAlx]

I want to download the Grocery Gadget app that I had a few months ago, but there are two versions now... a free one and one that cost's $5 now. According to appshopper.com the paid version was available for free at one time but I'm not completely sure if I actually downloaded that one before.

How do I find out if I "purchased" this particular program? I know that I can go to my account settings and look at my history in iTunes. But there are 9 pages of purchases there! It would take me about 2 hours to go through all of that to find one program. I also looked at my emails and it didn't turn up there either. I noticed that I don't always get an email notice about all of my iTunes purchases and clearly this one was one of those.

There has GOT to be an easy way to find out what you purchased without digging through hundreds of "receipts" or actually purchasing the item again.

[Napoleon_PhoneApart]

Can't you look under "applications" on iTunes?

[naviwilliams]

...or go to your Apple account and look at your purchase list...

[SmartAlx]

Can't you look under "applications" on iTunes?
It's a new computer. I have to download it again.
...or go to your Apple account and look at your purchase list...
I said I already did this but the user interface is too crappy. There are dozens of pages of pages of purchases. I have to click each one and each one takes about a minute to peruse. All told it would take me 2 hours to look through everything.

Next time read the entire question, kay?

[naviwilliams]

...oh, I'm sorry...

[Napoleon_PhoneApart]

Wow. navi was just trying to be helpful...

[SmartAlx]

Sorry for my shortness Navi. I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I'm just angry at Apple (all the time) for crap like this. It should be very easy to do something as simple as this but they make it exceedingly difficult.

Someone (appshopper.com?) needs to make an app that will tell you exactly what you have purchased before. Include links to the appstore so you can download it again. And a history of price changes and updates like appshopper has.

BTW, I do (now) sometimes tell appshopper what apps I have and it will help in the future. But that is manual. I shouldn't have to do that to find out what apps I've purchased before.

[Tinman]

One thing I hate is that, if you have purchased something (but might not remember, crashed when DL'ing, whatever), you have to actually click "purchase" in iTunes before finding out that you did. That's kinda lame, IMO.



--
Mike

[TarHeelsRule]

I have mine set up so I have to approve purchases, that way my daughter can't go and order all willy nilly. So if you click purchases on either or both it should tell you whether you have already purchased this app and asks do you want to download again.

[SmartAlx]

That's not how it works. I have it set up that way too, but it will only tell you that you have purchased it before if you have. If you haven't purchased the app before it will just download it and charge your card.

[TarHeelsRule]

That's not how it works. I have it set up that way too, but it will only tell you that you have purchased it before if you have. If you haven't purchased the app before it will just download it and charge your card.
If I haven't purchased the app then iTunes asks me again before it downloads. If I have purchased iTunes then tells me I have already purchased and asks do I want to download again.

[naviwilliams]

TarHeelsRule - does that not only apply to music and the likes, NOT applications?

I could have sworn that was the case...

Anyway, back on track; Apple have not offered the best solution, especially for heavy users that download and install lots and lots of applications. In Outlook / iPhone I have a 'Note' and on it I list all said applications that I have/ever bought from Apple...

[TarHeelsRule]

TarHeelsRule - does that not only apply to music and the likes, NOT applications?

I could have sworn that was the case...

Anyway, back on track; Apple have not offered the best solution, especially for heavy users that download and install lots and lots of applications. In Outlook / iPhone I have a 'Note' and on it I list all said applications that I have/ever bought from Apple...
You know what, Navi, I don't think what I am talking about applies to apps, just videos, movies and music. I am stuck at work with no access right now to check, so I will defer to you.

[garykirsten63]

Since the anger is taking the best of you than why don’t you go for the both of them? Sometime a little peace is worth more than a bit loss.

[Ward]

Simple solution:

Try and post a review. It will only let you write a review if you've previously purchased it.

[scraggles]

Ward, while your right about that being a solution, it definitely isn't as easy as it could be.

Apple do some things great, like making this phone for example. But they're comlete idiots when it comes to other things. What I'd give to have these morons listen to the customers.

[djrm]

Simple solution:

Try and post a review. It will only let you write a review if you've previously purchased it.

Nice 1, many thanks