REUTERS – Jan 6 – Short sellers have been having trouble committing to Match Group. Match's stock has fallen 8% from the close of its first day of trading on Nov. 19, but following over a month of volatile trading, it is still up 13% from the $12 per share price set by underwriters in its IPO. Traders are betting Match would fall further and join other freshly listed stocks struggling to keep stock prices above their IPO levels. Short sellers borrow shares and then sell them, hoping to repurchase them at a lower price and then return them to their owner. In the meantime, they must also pay interest to the owner.
Month: January 2016
Tinder Launches India Operations
MEDIANAMA – Jan 6 – Tinder has launched operations in India, its first international office, and appointed Taru Kapoor as its India head. Kapoor will be based in Delhi and lead the country operations. She will also focus on establishing Tinder in India. She joins Tinder from Harvard Business School, where she pursued an MBA for 2 years. In India, Tinder competes with TrulyMadly and Woo.
This Is The Busiest Time Of Year For Online Dating
MARKETWATCH – Jan 5 – Dating app Zoosk expects a 20% jump in users in the first two weeks of the year and eHarmony had a 21% increase in mobile registrations since the holidays. Grindr usually experiences a 30% to 50% increase in users. Match.com expects a 60% surge in new members between Christmas Day and Valentine's Day. Sign-ups on OkCupid, were up 30% this past Sunday. Many singles sit around the family dinner table during the holidays and think, "Maybe it would be better to have a partner," says Mark Brooks, a dating-industry analyst and the editor of Online Personals Watch. "That's when they start hitting dating sites in droves and go on dates before the indigestion sets in." It may also be more polite to arrange dates in the New Year rather than during the holidays, especially with family around. "They're going to be around for you long after your relationships," he says. "The trick with holiday dating is to make sure no one feels neglected."
by Quentin Fottrell
See full article at Marketwatch
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84% Of Women Feel Safer Using The Grade Dating App’s ‘Peer Review’ Feature
ACCESSWIRE – Jan 5 – The Grade, a mobile dating app released by Snap Interactive, surveyed its users and found out that 84% of women feel safer about meeting a potential match when they can see 'Peer Reviews' before meeting the potential match. The newly launched 'Peer Review' feature allows users to provide feedback on other singles. Since 'Peer Review' launched on Oct 8th, ~15K reviews have been given.
White Label Dating Announces 50M Registrations Milestone
PRESS RELEASE – Jan 5 – White Label Dating software provider hit 50M registrations this week. WLD was founded in 2003, it is part of Venntro Media Group, with annual revenues ~£50M.
Man Who Founded Dating Site ‘Where White People Meet’ Says He Isn’t A Racist
THE WASHINGTON POST – Jan 4 – Sam Russell suspected his dating startup, Where White People Meet, would ruffle a few Internet feathers. This is Russell's first foray into the online dating industry; he's spent most of his career in auto sales, as the president of Automatic Car Credit. "It's about equal opportunity," Russell explained. "The last thing in the world I am is racist." While an early version of the site has been online since August, the site officially launched last weekend when Russell unveiled a billboard southwest of Salt Lake City.
by Caitlin Dewey
See full article at The Columbus Dispatch
American Target Network To Speak On TV And Radio Promotion At iDate
WEBWIRE – Jan 4 – Kevin Hayes, VP of Ad Sales at American Target Network will speak on the latest strategies for TV, cable and radio promotion. The iDate (Internet dating conference) is taking place in January 25-27, 2016 at the Kovens Conference Center in Miami.
Whites-only Dating Site Is An Actual Thing
SHEKNOWS – Jan 5 – WhereWhitePeopleMeet.com was launched in late fall, but it didn't really take off until a billboard placed in Salt Lake City, Utah, made people take notice. Despite the name, the people behind WWPM says anyone can join.
High-end Dating Apps – The League, Luxy And The Inner Circle
THE GUARDIAN – Jan 3 – The League dating app heavily vets members, claims that only 20-25% of those who apply are allowed in, and has ~75K people on its waiting list. It launched in America last year and is now coming to the UK. Applicants must provide access to their profiles on LinkedIn. One selective dating app already operating in the UK is The Inner Circle, which has 22K members and ~24K on the waiting list. The app will launch in the US this year. Luxy dating app bills itself as "Tinder without the poor people". To be accepted, users must be either rich or beautiful.
by Gareth Rubin
See full article at The Guardian
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OpenMinded – A Dating Site To Find A Partner, Or Three
DAILYDOT – Jan 1 – Dating site OpenMinded is the brainchild of Brandon Wade, an online dating mogul whose best-known sites include Seeking Arrangement and Carrot Dating (where men offer expensive gifts and dinners in exchange for dates with women). OpenMinded is Wade's first foray into the world of ethical non-monogamy. The site launched in May and claims close to 200K users.
by Carrie Nelson
See full article at DailyDot