Month: September 2007

Hurrydate Integrates BuyYourFriendADrink

Posted on September 20, 2007

Buyyourfriendadring_logoPRESS RELEASE — Sep 20 — BuyYourFriendADrink has integrated its online social gift service for buying drinks in bars and restaurants into HurryDate's online user profiles. HurryDaters now can buy a real drink online as a creative way of asking someone out. Personal messages can be sent with the drink certificates, which can be redeemed at over 100 bars in New York and Boston.

The full article was originally published at eMedia Wire, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: Hurrydate was acquired by Spark Networks (JDate, AmericanSingles) in January.

Payment Providers

Posted on September 20, 2007

Welcome to Courtland Brooks review of industry payment processors. We have interviewed over twenty payment processors that provide services for the online dating industry. We have identified the key points that are important to companies in our industry, and then asked these companies to tell us how they perform on these key points. At this link, Payment Processors, you will find an easy to use spreadsheet which allows you to compare and contrasts payment providers. Though we cannot include every detail and every service for each provider, this should help you chose the 2 or 3 that might work for you and then start a conversation with them.

We have put them into 4 major categories: Mainstream, 3rd Party, Mobile and Alternative. Each category has unique benefits. Mobile payment processors have been moved to their own unique chart. Should you have additional questions or would like to see a company added to this chart, do not hesitate to contact us at Mark@OnlinePersonalsWatch.com.

Mainstream Processors

  1. Paysafecard (Optimal Payments)
  2. Litle & Co
  3. Premier Payments
  4. Max Payments
  5. L3 Payments
  6. Net Billing
  7. FailSafePayments
  8. SafeCharge
  9. Adyen
  10. GetGambit
  11. Payventures

3rd Party Processors

  1. 2Checkout
  2. Click and Buy
  3. AIB Merchant Services
  4. CcBill
  5. Epoch

Alternative Processors

  1. PayByCash
  2. QTBill

Prepaid Cards

  1. Paysafecard

We have also interviewed six mobile payment processors that provide services for the online dating industry. We have identified the key points that are important to companies in our industry, and then asked these companies to tell us how they perform on these key points. At this link, Mobile Payment Processors, you will find an easy to use spreadsheet which allows you to compare and contrasts payment providers. Though we cannot include every detail and every service for each provider, this should help you chose the 2 or 3 that might work for you and then start a conversation with them.

Should you have additional questions or would like to see a company added to this chart, do not hesitate to contact us at Mark@OnlinePersonalsWatch.com.

Mobile Processors

  1. iTelebill
  2. Zong
  3. Billing Revolution
  4. PaymentPin
  5. Mobile First
  6. Bango

Cupid Can Be Stupid

Posted on September 20, 2007

EharmonylogoTHE MOTLEY FOOL — Sep 18 — eHarmony is disputing Chemistry‘s claim that the questionnaires filled out by Chemistry applicants "predict which single men and women you’ll have a relationship and dating chemistry with." If the lengthy registration forms at premium dating services are bunk, why even bother paying for love when there are plenty of free sites out there? FULL ARTICLE @ THE MOTLEY FOOL

Send In Your Vids To Sun Singles

Posted on September 20, 2007

Sunsingles_logo_2THE SUN — Sep 18 — The U.K.'s Sun Singles is encouraging people to submit "Date Me" videos. The 60-second home videos should explain why you'd be the perfect date. Entrants will receive first date "Get Lucky" kits and the chance to appear on Sun TV.

The full article was originally published at The Sun, but is no longer available.

OkCupid Helps Singles Answer “WTF”

Posted on September 20, 2007

Okcupidnew_logo PRESS RELEASE — Sep 18 — OkCupid, America’s largest and fastest-growing free online dating site, today announced WTF (What to Fix), a new matching tool that lets users see the issues on which they disagree with potential matches. A WTF report reveals each party’s opinions on various topics so both can see which issues are acceptable and which are deal breakers.

Lavalife Distributes SilverBirch Games

Posted on September 18, 2007

LavalifePRESS RELEASE — Sep 18 — SilverBirch today announced that it has signed an agreement to distribute its proprietary and third-party mobile games through Lavalife's online mobile content portals. FULL ARTICLE @ SYS CON MEDIA

Mark Brooks: Lavalife is monetizing it's key strategic differentiator over it's competition, it's mobile platform. Games are a logical extension. When will we see games on dating sites? Doof is a gaming SNS.

lavalifePRIME Combines Social And Dating For Baby Boomers

Posted on September 18, 2007

Lavalifeprime_logoPRESS RELEASE — Sep 17 — lavalifePRIME, one of the world's first social dating sites, is targeting the 30% of the 85 million baby boomers in the US and Canada who are back in the singles scene and want more than a date. The site allows users to connect based on hobbies, interests, and relationship outlooks, and offers online socializing etiquette tips.

The full article was originally published at Tech Web, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: Lavalife realized that Match was targeting the 35+ crowd for a reason – that's where the money is! They also realized that PlentyofFish was stealing a lot of its market share. So, they decided to try and steal back some market share from both Match and PlentyofFish by creating LavalifePRIME and making it free.

Are Animated 3D Pictures in Online Dating’s Future?

Posted on September 18, 2007

Motionportrait_logoGIZMONDO — Sep 17 — MotionPortrait is a new photo imaging program that can take a regular 2D picture and transform it into a moving, smiling, talking 3D model. Users can change eye color, hair style, and facial expressions, and even synch the picture with sound. The technology may prove extremely useful to social networking and dating sites in the future. FULL ARTICLE @ GIZMONDO

TeeBeeDee – For Baby Boomers

Posted on September 18, 2007

Teebeedee_logo5WTVH — Sep 17 — TeeBeeDee ("to be determined") is a new community for active baby boomers. The site allows those in mid-life to exchange information, learn from each other; and connect to like-minded people. It offers unique features like career reinvention tools, "Real Life Scripts", "Boot Camps", and "Online Dating Makeovers".

Mark Brooks: Gather.com is an SNS that also targets baby boomers.

Mobestar To Provide Mobile Dating For Global Personals

Posted on September 17, 2007

Mobestar_logoTHOMSON FINANCIAL — Sep 17 — Mobestar Holdings is providing dating and new media agency Global Personals with a mobile dating platform. The service, to be launched by the end of this month, will cost $10-50/month, with additional revenues coming from picture, video and text-based activity. All revenues will be shared equally by Mobestar and Global Personals, which now has over 3 million members.

The full article was originally published at Hemscott, but is no longer available.