First Data Corporation, a global leader in electronic commerce and payment processing, today released its First Data SpendTrend analysis for the full month of April 2012 compared to April 2011. SpendTrend tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT cards and checks at U.S. merchant locations.

Overall year-over-year dollar volume growth was 5.7% in April, down from March’s 8.7% growth. Transaction growth slowed to 5.8% in April, down from 9.3% in March. Despite the slowdown in overall year-over-year dollar volume and transaction growth, discretionary spending was healthy in April.

“April’s card spending was impacted by an earlier Easter, plus the unseasonably warm weather in February and March, which pulled forward seasonal demand,” said Silvio Tavares, SVP and division manager of First Data Global Information and Analytics Solutions, which publishes SpendTrend.  

PIN debit remained the leading payment type among consumers, although its upward growth trend moderated in April. PIN debit dollar volume growth was up 7.4% in April, while PIN debit transaction growth increased 7.5%.

April Dollar Volume Growth     CHANGE                     

Credit                                       +5.8%
Signature Debit                         +3.9%
PIN Debit                                  +7.4%
Check                                       -6.7%                          

Note: All transactions are same-store growth.