Category: TogetherDating

$2m Awarded to Lonely Heart Who Lost $125,000 to Dating Agency

Posted on June 1, 2006

THE GUARDIAN — June 1 — Orly the Matchmaker is a "high-end matchmaking service catering to celebrities, royalties, famous people and all wonderful single men and women out there." Anne Majerik, a 60-year-old widowed social worker saw an ad in an in-flight magazine but the search for romance ended in disillusion and finally court. This week a jury in Los Angeles awarded Ms Majerik $2.1m (£1.1m) in damages. Majerik's lawyer said, "She's developed a niche out there to prey on women who are lonely or divorced." The size of the jury's award is unprecedented. "I hear of high-end matchmaking firms charging tens of thousands of dollars a year," said Mark Brooks, the editor of onlinepersonalswatch.com. "But to pay $100,000-plus, that's just not wise."  Ms Hadida plans to appeal. FULL ARTICLE @ THE GUARDIAN

Mark Brooks: Orly is giving reputable matchmakers a bad name. I can understand $10's of thousands for high-end service, but $100k+. Obscene. Buyer beware. Great Expectations, It's Just Lunch, The Right One/Together Dating, and Table for Six are examples of exemplary, well established, real world services. $2500, ok. $25k, hmm?  $125k, crazy! 

Dating Services Market Growth Slows in U.S.

Posted on April 24, 2006

PRWEB — Apr 18 — Marketdata Enterprises released its U.S. dating services market report on matchmakers, dating Web sites, chains and franchises, radio datelines, print personal ads, and singles publications.  Revenue growth for dating websites has slowed to ~4.5% last year and will grow at an average annual rate of 3.7% from 2005 to 2008, to $1.11 billion. 1,300 independent matchmakers operate nationwide grossing $50,000 to $200,000 per year each. An additional 218 physical offices run by chains or franchises (Great Expectations, Together, The Right One) also compete.  RELEASE @ PR WEB

Mark Brooks: NOTE – This report incorporates intel available on real world matchmakers.  As worth all analysts reports, take it with a pinch of salt. Look at the raw data and draw your own conclusions as well.  Has anyone reviewed the report?  Your comments please… 

Dating Sites now Attracting Mainstream Singles

Posted on February 13, 2006

True_4THE TRIBUNE STAR — Feb 11 — Hooking up via cyberspace is especially attractive to the 35 to 55 crowd, said Sorin Matei, a Purdue University associate professor who specializes in online communication. Herb Vest, CEO of TRUE, said the sheer number of singles participating online is a draw. “It is a very, very efficient way and effective way to find your soul mate.” Although still coming in droves, for the first time, personal dating sites are losing more users than they are attracting, Jupiter’s data shows. Only about a quarter of users are either “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with online personals sites, according to Jupiter Research. “The biggest issue people have today with online dating is dishonesty,” said Falzone of Together Dating/The Right One, whose traditional dating service has experienced a boon from clients disappointed with online dating. “I could be the Lone Ranger on there and no one would know.” 

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

Mark Brooks: There are two kinds of internet dating users.  1. Those that are happy and met someone special.  2. This that are not happy, and did not meet someone special.  …My concern is, people don't realise the amount of time and effort it takes to meet someone through online dating.  It's a far superior medium for discerning good potential matches, but it still takes considerable time and effort. 

Love on the Web

Posted on February 6, 2006

LoveonthewebBBC NEWS — Feb 2 — There are 12 million unattached people in Britain. Since the 1960s, the number of people with no-one to go home to has quadrupled. Two thirds of single people looking for love have signed up to dating agencies. Nate Elliot, an analyst with JupiterResearch explains "the sites give people an opportunity to see a lot of other singles in an environment that's very comfortable for them. "There's not a lot of risk and there's not a lot of stress involved in browsing profiles from home." Upmarket conventional agencies are riding high too. Far from being wiped out by the web the internet's actually brought dating into people's homes and it's taken away a lot of the taboo.  Offline agencies cater to a much more select clientele.  FULL ARTICLE @ BBC NEWS

Mark Brooks: Great Expectations, Together Dating/The Right One and It's Just Lunch are the biggest national matchmaking organizations in Great Britain.

Niche Dating Sites Match Habits, Pets, Disabilities

Posted on November 29, 2005

SpecialsinglesTHE WASHINGTON TIMES — Nov 25 — Tracy has multiple sclerosis. "I went online and I looked under 'disabled dating' and there was nothing," said Tracey, who debuted Special Singles Online in July 2004. Ms. Saks is one of an increasing number of operators of niche dating sites in an industry that ballooned from $50 million in 2000 to an estimated $490 million this year.  Even traditional matchmakers are finding their way to the Web. The Right One and Together Dating, an offline matchmaking service, is offering a "hybrid" online dating option, ELove.com. CEO Paul Falzone, said the existence of online dating sites has only boosted business for offline services, which cost $2,000 to $5,000 for a lifetime membership. Offline services charge more because they do more of the work, Mr. Falzone said. 

The Right One and Together Dating Strong Team

Posted on November 15, 2005

TogetherdatingI-NEWSWIRE — Nov 13 — The Right One and Together Dating are bricks and mortar matching services that have joined forces.  For more than 30 years, The Right One and Together have catered to over 125,000 members.  With more than 500 employees, The Right One and Together gross more than $45 million a year in Revenue and 60 locations throughout North America. 

Mark Brooks: elove is their online service.  Not much in the way of traffic. Real world matchmaking services offer good service, are pricey and offer limited choice.  Online dating services offer limited service, are cheap and offer insane amounts of choice.  When will these two worlds meet?  Who will get it right?  I run http://www.ace-club.com which is the 'Bay Area's premier social club' and a long term experiment I started in 1998.  I had hoped to pair an events site/concept up with Friendster when I worked there in 2003, alas, the project was slated.  I made an attempt in 2004 by bringing the world's largest speed dating service under Cupid's wing.  Real world matchmaking and events services and online dating services have to find a way to get along.