Debit Card Use Continues to Grow, Star Survey Shows

MAITLAND, Fla. – Movie theaters, fast food restaurants, pay phone booths, public transit vehicles, parking spaces, vending machines and laundromats are the leading places American consumers use their debit cards in place of cash, according to a recent survey conducted by Star Systems, the Florida based electronic funds network subsidiary of Concord, EFS. According to the firm’s recent survey of 11,263 consumers, consumers who authenticate their debit transactions both with a personal identification number and with a signature make the most debit transactions. Respondents who used only signature debit used their card an average of 13 times per month, while those who used only PIN-secured debit used their card almost nine times per month, Star reported. But usage frequency jumped to almost 19 times per month among those who made both types of transactions. “This latest research indicates the benefits of encouraging the use of both PIN-secured and signature debit,” said Ronald V. Congemi, Star president. However, the firm acknowledged that 50% of consumers surveyed still reported using checks for a significant portion of their transactions.