The majority of users need to access an app at least ten times before making an in-app purchase, according to a new study by Localytics.

But the research also concluded that users who wait and interact with an app multiple times before making their first in-app purchase are more valuable in the long run, undertaking 25 percent more transactions over their lifetime as a customer. First session buyers will make an average of 2.8 purchases in a given app during their user lifetime, compared with 3.5 transactions for all other consumers.

“In-app purchases are the lifeblood of many apps, and although it may seem like getting users to the sale proposition quickly is ideal, [our] study finds that building relationships with app users and fostering long-term usage are more important,” said the firm.

In research from last year, Localytics found that 26 percent of apps are used only once after being downloaded – and highlighted the need for apps publishers to move away from “incentivised downloads” towards “engagement and overall customer lifetime value (CLV).”

“The more your users interact with your app, the more likely you are to get a chunk of the US$5.6 billion in in-app purchases expected by 2015,” the firm said.