My understanding is that DUNS was not always a requirement for companies publishing on the iOS App Store. It was added about a year and a half ago (?) and given the timing and what DUNS represents it seems reasonable to assume that it was added as a reaction to app spammers and scammers that would run fly by night operations, take people's money and run.
DUNS may not have been the best solution and like other areas of the submission/approval process it seems there are some obvious quality of life improvements Apple should implement but in the big picture what is the alternative to DUNS?
(1) Go back to scammer friendly system. Yeah I don't see that happening.
(2) Apple holds the money for longer. I don't see people lining up for this option.
(3) Everyone has to buy insurance. Spoilers: insurer asks for DUNS number.
(4) A better partner than D&B. Is there one? The US government appears to be looking for alternatives as well[1] but it doesn't look like there is a good replacement.
GSA has been conducting an analysis of alternatives for the use of Dun & Bradstreet's DUNS entity unique identifier and is expected to complete its analysis by March 30, 2013.
(5) Apple provides the relatively simple service of looking up incorporation documents.
I can't complain about the speed in getting a DUNS number, since it was quiet fast. Being in Canada, I was surprised how fast they were able to validate my newly created corporation. But I am not sure why we're to believe that D&B have special abilities. Incorporation documents are publicly available.
My understanding is that DUNS was not always a requirement for companies publishing on the iOS App Store. It was added about a year and a half ago (?) and given the timing and what DUNS represents it seems reasonable to assume that it was added as a reaction to app spammers and scammers that would run fly by night operations, take people's money and run.
DUNS may not have been the best solution and like other areas of the submission/approval process it seems there are some obvious quality of life improvements Apple should implement but in the big picture what is the alternative to DUNS?
(1) Go back to scammer friendly system. Yeah I don't see that happening.
(2) Apple holds the money for longer. I don't see people lining up for this option.
(3) Everyone has to buy insurance. Spoilers: insurer asks for DUNS number.
(4) A better partner than D&B. Is there one? The US government appears to be looking for alternatives as well[1] but it doesn't look like there is a good replacement.
[1] http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-715R
GSA has been conducting an analysis of alternatives for the use of Dun & Bradstreet's DUNS entity unique identifier and is expected to complete its analysis by March 30, 2013.