Category: Outlets – Reuters

InterActiveCorp (Match.com) Posts Higher Profit

Posted on May 4, 2005

Match_datingREUTERS — May 5 — InterActiveCorp posted a higher first-quarter profit in their Q1 report.  Revenue rose 14% to $1.65. Operating income before amortization rose 30%, to $253 million. 

PERSONALS BUSINESS EXCERPT: "Personals revenue grew by 11% to $54.2 million, driven primarily by a 6% increase in paid subscribers and higher average revenue per subscriber. International subscribers grew 24% excluding declines at uDate.  Personals Operating Income Before Amortization declined by 14% to $5.4 million, resulting mainly from higher customer acquisition costs relating to the company’s new marketing campaign. Operating income grew by 54% to $4.4 million, reflecting lower non-cash distribution and marketing expense and amortization of intangibles."

Mark Brooks: Rosy numbers from Match.com.

October 2004 Comscore Rankings

Posted on December 4, 2004

Reuters — In October, eHarmony had 3.2 million uniques and was the fifth most-visited online dating site behind such providers as Yahoo Personals, which had 6.2 million uniques, and the Match.com, which had almost 5.5 million uniques, according to comScore Media Metrix. 

Lonely Hearts, Deep Pockets – Yahoo Personals Premier Service Launched

Posted on November 23, 2004

REUTERS — Yahoo has launched Personals Premier, a premium online dating service aimed at attracting serious relationship seekers with deeper pockets. Yahoo's new premium service costs $34.95 a month and features searching and matching technology that uses results from relationship and personality tests. Yahoo's existing personals service costs $19.95 a month. eHarmony visitors are much more likely to be in the age range of 25 to 34 while Yahoo's visitors are older or younger — with lower incomes. Yahoo Personals is #1 in the online dating category with about 21% of the market, EHarmony fourth with about 6%, after Match.com and American Singles, Hitwise reported.

Japan Singles Courted by Match.com

Posted on November 23, 2004

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.

China; Relaxing a Taboo with Intimate Sex Survey

Posted on August 25, 2004

BEIJING (Reuters) – China is conducting its first nationwide female sex survey…organized by the Chinese Institute of Sexology and Chinese Medical Association via Sina.com…A smaller survey a decade ago concluded that 50% of Chinese women did not experience orgasm during sex…Attitudes toward sex relaxed after China began Western-style market reforms in 1978, unleashing a boom in adolescent dating, adultery, prostitution and other kinds of promiscuity.

Friendster Hires Former AOL Exec to Lead Ad Sales

Posted on August 24, 2004

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Friendster, a privately held Web site that links friends for dating and activities, on Monday named Charles Barrett (AOL, Yahoo) as vice president of sales, overseeing all aspects of advertising sales. Friendster is eyeing advertising as a way to make money.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California, Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ — …Charlie will oversee all aspects of advertising sales. His first initiatives will include building a world-class national ad sales team and creating new revenue producing programs. In addition, he will also be responsible for ad operations.

Women Say Single Life Is Better?

Posted on July 25, 2004

BERLIN (Reuters) – More than 80% of single German women are perfectly happy without a man in tow and say living solo gives them more freedom to do what they want, according to a survey for Stern magazine. Coming amid mounting political alarm about Germany’s low birthrate and aging population, the survey of 1,003 women showed only 2% did not enjoy their solitary lifestyle and 36% opted to stay single because it was more fun. Almost half the women said they preferred single life because it was easier to keep their homes tidy and 36% said with no man on the scene they didn’t have to endure watching sports on television. MYWAY NEWS

Evite Revamps Web Site, Mulls Social Networking

Posted on July 16, 2004

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Evite, an online party invitation and event planning service, expects to roll out a new version of its Web site on Monday and is considering adding social networking features, the president of the InterActiveCorp (Nasdaq:IACI) unit said…Evite has a few million users and aims to break even this year.  IAC, which also owns Expedia and Citysearch, has made a goal of improving local services on the Internet, although it has not had major success.

Google Sued Over Orkut Code

Posted on July 1, 2004

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Google said late on Wednesday that it has been sued by Affinity Engines, which alleges that Google’s Orkut social networking site is built with code stolen from its company.  …Google, which is preparing a much-anticipated initial public offering, said Affinity’s claims are without merit. …Affinity further charged that Orkut Buyukkokten had promised he would not build a rival social-networking service at Google.  

‘Mr Right’ Wants to Take His Time Tying the Knot

Posted on June 24, 2004

NEW YORK (Reuters) – There’s good news and bad news for aspiring brides: Many young men still want to marry, but most prefer to put it off until they are good and ready.  "Most men are the marrying kind," said Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, a director of the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University in New Jersey. …49% of single men 25-34 would tie the knot tomorrow if the right woman came along. 53% said they are not interested in getting hitched any time soon. …Many young men are waiting until they have a good education and a firm financial footing. Meanwhile, they want to enjoy the single life.