Category: Match.com

Keeping Online Daters Honest

Posted on April 4, 2005

TruedaterWIRED — Apr 1 — TrueDater, not to be confused with True.com, is a database of reviews written by people who met through online personals. The goal here is not to rate (or berate) the person, but to compare how he or she matched the profile that got your attention. Does she look like her pictures? Is he really 6 feet tall?  Currently, you can read and submit reviews for members of Match.com, JDate and AmericanSingles.com. To post a review, you indicate which dating site they belong to and enter their profile ID. Rate them with a "yes" (they tell the truth in their profiles) or a "no," and add a few words of explanation. 

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

Mark Brooks: Why do they limit to Match and Spark I wonder?

How To Look For Love Online

Posted on April 3, 2005

Cbs_online_dating_interviewCBS EARLY SHOW — Mar 31 — Today, online dating is socially acceptable and totally mainstream. 26 million people visit dating sites each month. Consumers will spend over $500 million on online dating services this year.  The Early Show turns to AOL's Consumer Adviser Regina Lewis for tips on finding love online.  Lewis says that for many singles, heading online is actually the preferred method of hooking up with potential dates because it offers them more control over their dating lives…"it can be a lot more productive. That has inherent appeal for a lot of people with busy lives."  Lewis says about half of the people who date online claim to be "serious daters." The other half, are "casual daters," who simply want to meet more people and have a good time.  Match.com, the largest, claims that about 200,000 users a year find the relationship they are looking for. Eharmony reports 4,000 marriages.  About 18% of those dating online now are over 55.  The other big trend is the growing number of "niche" dating sites. "The people I talk to who seem happiest with the process view it all as upside," she says, "They're happy to go on three or four dates a week even if many of them turn out to be not-so hot. They look at it as at least I'm getting out there.  Others do get burnt by the process and often make comments like, 'If I go on one more bad date, I am going to scream, and this is taking up tons of time and getting me nowhere.'" Then again, when you remind them, sitting at home also gets them nowhere, they tend to come around and concede, 'I guess you're right.'" FULL ARTICLE @ CBS NEWS

Mark Brooks: This sums up the upside of online dating nicely.  There's not much in the way of downside, and it's a helluva deal for the money.

Man Accused in Four Deaths Sought Internet Romance

Posted on March 29, 2005

NYNEWSDAY — Mar 29 — A man accused of killing four people in Pennsylvania was "a quiet person that can surprise people with a sudden outburst," according to an entry he made on match.com.  "Looking for a relationship without all the head games," read the profile. "Prefers cozy evenings at home, but a night on the town can be just as fun. Would like to meet someone who can express their feelings."
Castor confirmed the profile belonged to Eichinger, a supermarket customer service representative. Match.com removed the profile after being contacted by the newspaper.  Kristen Kelly (Match.com spokeswoman) said the site investigates and removes customer accounts whenever complaints are received, and that it typically depends on members and law enforcement for notification of problems. 

Mark Brooks: …and go to the local bar or supermarket and the same guy is hanging out, ready to buy you a drink or comment on your choice of wine.  What to do?  I know, let’s do background checks on 20 million internet daters!?!  Your comments please.

IAC to Buy Ask Jeeves for $1.85B

Posted on March 21, 2005

CLICKZ — Mar 21 — IAC/InterActiveCorp to purchase Ask Jeeves for $1.85 billion. IAC intends to grow Ask Jeeves by using its local content properties, which include Citysearch, Ticketmaster, Evite, Expedia and Match.com.  FULL ARTICLE @ CLICKZ

Mark Brooks: Great strategic move that will help lock in Match.com as the top online personals player.  No doubt prompted by rising advertising costs. 

Technology No Longer a Handicap for Seniors Looking for Love

Posted on March 15, 2005

GAINESVILLE — Mar 13 — Seniors are the fastest growing group of online users, according to Kaizad Gotla, an analyst with Nielsen/NetRatings.  Of the 26 million persons visiting online dating sites in Jan. 2005, more than 18%, or 4.8 million, were over 55. Up from 16.75% a year earlier.  In January 2005, eHarmony 55+ users jumped 86% to 350,000 from 196,000 a year earlier, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. Match.com attracted 704,000 in January 2005, up 16% from 606,000 in January 2004.  "It boils down to the fact that people over the age of 50 are more discriminating," said Dr Neil Clark Warren of eHarmony.

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

On-line Dating: It Depends on Where You Fish

Posted on March 8, 2005

MIDDLETOWN PRESS — Mar 6 — Match claims to have 15 million members, 1.1 million of which pay.  ~40 million US people a month are believed to have visited dating Web sites in 2004 (Jupiter).  Says Elissa Gouge, of The Relationship Company, a match making business, "what I hear the most is that we just save people so much time. If they don’t want to spend hours and hours on the computer, then we’re a good alternative," Gouge said.  "If a woman tells me she’s 140 pounds, she’s 140 pounds — she’s not 300," Gouge said. 

Mark Brooks: Certified photos; less surprises, happier online daters.

Regulation of Online Dating Services Sparks Controversy

Posted on March 8, 2005

ECOMMERCE TIMES — Mar 8 — Match states it considered but rejected the idea of conducting criminal background checks because national criminal databases are incomplete and criminals can avoid detection by signing up with a fake identity.  Last week, a bill was introduced in the California legislature that created additional controversy.  This bill calls for a fine of US$250 for each day that an online relationship service provider fails to disclose to all online visitors living in California that it does not conduct criminal background checks.  It could apply to "compatibility" or "social referral" services, such as Classmates.  The jury is still out, but it's clear, most likely, a number of these initiatives will come into law.  FULL ARTICLE @ ECOMMERCE TIMES

Online Dating Sites Quarrel Over Background Checks

Posted on March 4, 2005

TECHWEB — Mar 3 — True has taken on the rest of the online dating industry in pushing state legislators to require matchmaking sites to conduct criminal background checks on members or post a warning that no such screening has been done.  "We believe this legislation would save lives and prevent rapes, robberies and assaults," Herb Vest, True CEO.  "I believe this raises the bar on the industry and it would bring many more single people, currently not using online-dating services, into our industry, once it's perceived as safe."  Kristin Kelly, Match PR Director said, "It's special-interest legislation whereby you are taking a market differentiator of a particular company, and, through legislation, enforcing it on the rest of us."  Nevertheless, True insists it will push on with its campaign, expecting some states to sign some type of regulation by the summer. The rest of the industry plans to keep on fighting, with Match.com leading the charge.

Mark Brooks: True has lit a PR firestorm by shooting for the soft underbelly of the industry and then playing David and Goliath with Match.com.  Great PR ploy, but what will be the long term effects of inviting political attention?  Your comments please…

Relationships Aren’t What They Used to Be

Posted on February 26, 2005

PRWEB — Feb 26 — The way we look at ourselves as part of a relationship has evolved. Until the 1970’s, it was inconceivable that a woman would have a baby without being married, unheard of that she would have one without a partner. Yet in 2003, 43% of single women polled in a Match.com survey say they would consider having a child without a husband or romantic partner.  FULL RELEASE @ PRWEB

Mark Brooks: Less marriages, more singles, higher divorce rates.  Less babies, older first time parents.  First marriages later in life.  The institution of marriage seems more and more disenfranchised.  What’s next?  Are casual, finite relationships the way of the future?  Should we admit there is no ‘one,’ rather, three or four ‘ones’ that we are supposed to be with in our lifetimes?

UK Mobile Communities Roundtable

Posted on February 24, 2005

NMK — Feb 24 — Match Mobile users are urban, younger, of a lower socio-economic base, and (in the US) more from the immigrant population, with Match Mobile growing at a rate of 15% per month.  The most favoured mobile content applications, according to recent Enpocket research in the UK: Sharing pictures with friends and family7 – 46%, Making / receiving video calls – 36%, Downloading songs -23%, Video clip of sports highlights – 20%, Text flirting / dating – 16%, Watching movie trailers – 12%, Help in managing a diet – 11%, Celeb news / gossip – 9%.  There are 52 million handsets and 60 million people in the UK. China has 350 million handsets and 300 million texts a month are sent in Singapore and the Philippines.  overall, Japan and Korea are 2-3 years ahead of the UK, who are in turn about 1-2 years ahead of the US.