VPP, Account Usage, and Code Redemption Failing

Sorry for almost spamming the boards, but I am having a real tough time as I move from testing free apps to volume purchases. The majority of lessons learned material is for iTunes, as VPP existed before the Apple Configurator software was released stable. So, my method, and all of this was done in unsupervised mode:

1. Download free, non-paid apps with iTunes using one account (itunesaccount1@domain.tld).
2. Purchase codes via VPP with Program Faciliator account itunesvpp-programfacilitator@doman.tld).
3. Download spreadsheet to computer.
4. Open iTunes and try to follow documentation, intentionally used another "clean" AppleID (itunesaccount2@domain.tld) to download the paid apps with the first redemption code in the spreadsheet, as described here in offical Apple documentation.
5. Take the app and the spreadsheet and load it into Apple Configurator.
6. Left the wrong AppleID for authorization in Apple Configurator in the first Prepare pass (itunesaccount1@domain.tld), but then changed it properly (I so thought) to the account I used to download the paid for apps (itunesaccount2@domain.tld), and prepared the devices again successfully with no errors in Configurator. All apps and redeem codes used correctly, showing device name and serial numbers.
7. When using any iPad, none of the paid apps would open, full stop.
8. Tried erasing and staring from scratch with a totally blank prep (reinstalling iOS to factory default with no apps, no mods, no changes).
9. Reimaged again with paid apps, and still no paid app would open after successful reinstallation.
10. Removed all apps from Configurator, downloaded from the same account I used for the free app downloads (itunesaccount1@domain.tld), using yet another redeem code (after I discovered it does not redeem the first as promised, surprise surprise).
11. After reimporting paids and spreadsheet into Configurator, things were looking good: 39/40 redeem codes available for all iPads to be synced.
12. I prepare them again, I hit 0/40 for several of the apps, and I check logs that show my redemption codes have runned over.
    
    
13. Checked apps, all 40/40 are used/checked out, but do not list the serial numbers or device names anymore, meaning they just disappeared into thin air.

Anyone else get burned here? I am not sure how to really resolve this. I specifically waited to use Configurator 1.0.1 without Supervision because this was not supposed to be as bad. I guess I am wrong, no?