REUTERS — Match.com, already embedded in 32 countries with 15 million active members, is offering a virtual solution for the maritally challenged in the world’s second-largest economy. "Of our members, 80% said they’re looking for a serious relationship or marriage," said COO Joe Cohen. Cohen estimated Japan’s online matching business will exceed $200 million in total revenues in four years. Despite a tradition of "omiai," or partner introduction, many Japanese have gone off-line in their family and career paths, keeping the nation’s marriage rate flat and raising the average marrying age to nearly 30 for men and over 27 for women.
Category: Match.com
Smile, Dial, Date
NBC5 — Nov 10th — Now, a new use has emerged for mobile phones. Dating services have enlisted the communications medium to bring together bands of lonely hearts. "If you're in the bank in line, stuck in traffic, whatever it is, you can search for dates and flirt with people on your mobile phone," Kristin Kelly, of Match.com, said.
The full article was originally published at Dallas NBC5, but is no longer available.
IAC 3rd-Quarter Profit Rises More Than Fourfold on Travel Sales
BLOOMBERG — Net income rose to $89.5 million from $18.7 million a year earlier. Revenue declined 6.5% to $1.51 billion from $1.61 billion. …IAC named Jim Safka, a former AT&T Wireless Services executive, as CEO of Match.com in September replacing Tim Sullivan.
The full article was originally published at Bloomberg, but is no longer available.
Match.com; Diller’s InterActiveCorp Struggles to Make Comeback
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – When Barry Diller’s IAC/InterActiveCorp reported less-than-stellar quarterly earnings Aug. 3, the stock dropped almost 16%. It has continued to languish ever since, and some on Wall Street don’t have much hope of a recovery anytime soon as the company’s latest earnings release looms Wednesday. IAC’s assets include cable home shopping network HSN, the Entertainment Book of coupons and a hodgepodge of Internet holdings, including Citysearch, Evite and Match.com.
Older People Turn to Internet to Find Love
MSNBC–Seniors are bringing in some unexpected revenue for online dating sites, which expect business to grow as many baby boomers find themselves single again…Older online daters appear to have different goals from their younger counterparts, according to a survey by Match.com. 26% of singles age 55 and older indicated they were looking for a commitment or marriage. 55% for ages 18 to 29; and 60% for ages 30 to 39.
The full article was originally published at MSNBC, but is no longer available.
Match/Gallup Poll; Politics of the Heart
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS–Sept 13th – A recent Gallup survey of 1,001 singles conducted for online dating service Match.com found that more than 60 percent of singles would discuss politics on a first date, 92 percent would consider going out with someone whose political views conflicted with theirs and 57 percent would consider a politically mismatched marriage.
The full article was originally published at RMN, but is no longer available.
Match.com, True.com Execs Learn Networking Skills
Dallas News, Sep 18th — Layoff victims from True, along with a few from Match, gathered Wednesday at an Irving restaurant to work on a little matchmaking of their own… "We’re all here for each other, and we’ve got networks we can use to get everybody new positions," Ms. Coover, True’s former marketing vice president, told the group of about 25.
IAC (Match); Barry Raised Expectations Too High
NY Times, Sep 19th — Barry Diller says that his company is growing too fast for him to give reliable guidance to analysts, so he does not intend to give any at all. (Photo of Bary Diller) NY TIMES
Mercedes-Benz USA and Match.com Pair Up for SpeedMatching Event
MONTVALE, N.J., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ – Mercedes-Benz USA and Match.com teamed up to host a "Wheels of Attraction" event, the first-ever SpeedMatching event on wheels in new Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Each participant at the event took several potential mates for a spin to help determine if they could find love behind the wheel…."Two of my dates opened the car door for me which made a great first impression. I’m hopeful I’ll get second dates. One guy was a little aggressive behind the wheel which made me nervous," noted Sheila Shteyrenberg, age 38 of Miami Beach.
Match.com Survey; Politics and Dating
DALLAS, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ — Single Americans are happy to mix love and politics, according to a Match.com survey. 63% are open to discussing politics on a first date…57% indicated they are open to marrying someone who holds political opinions significantly different from their own…At 80-million strong, America’s single voters may play a decisive role in this year’s Presidential election.