Update on Shaddi.com Financing

by David Evans on March 13, 2006 · 7 comments

in Finance

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Shaddi.com wrote to clarify the numbers from the story last week which quoted a press release stating that it had 500,000 members paying $42 a month.

To give you a brief, Shaadi.com is the No.1 Matrimonial Services Provider which has gone on to become one of the largest Internet companies in India. Today Shaadi.com has over 5 million members worldwide(not 5 lakh as mentioned in your mail), and we have over 5 lakh success stories to our credit. Members on Shaadi.com start of with a free memberships and then pay only if they want to avail any premium services offered by the site. Therefore not all 5 million members are paid members.

(Ed Note: I think 5 lakh = 500,000).

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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }

Sam Moorcroft, ChristianCafe.comNo Gravatar 03.13.06 at 10:23 am
Thanks, Dave. I like their cryptic “…not all 5 million members are paid members.” i.e. we aren’t revealing anything!

My guess is that only a tiny, tiny fraction are paying, e.g. $1-3M/year’s worth (or around 13,500-40,000 subscribers, give or take, assuming $75/lifetime/member).

Their $8 million VC round would make more sense with revenue like that - and the market potential.

SeanNo Gravatar 03.13.06 at 10:26 am
fyi,

Shaadi.com - leading matrimonials site

Shaddi.com - “your heroic search results” (parked domain)

tomskinNo Gravatar 03.13.06 at 12:35 pm
Sam,

I’ve read several of your posts and am curious as to your background? Did you major in finance? MBA? You seem so knowledgeable about valuations, financing rounds, etc. So I am just wondering…how much should one trust your opinion? Did you start a company that has raised money? Have you sold companies? Are you involved in a VC firm?

Thanks,

Sam MoorcoftNo Gravatar 03.13.06 at 7:49 pm
Thanks for the (back-handed) compliment. My opinions are just that - my opinions - although, they are based on being in the dating space for 7+ years and surviving (and prospering) to this day:-)

Some of my numbers analyses are based on inside knowledge for sure, but those numbers can be judged by the math involved, e.g. with the comment above about Shaadi.com’s earnings.

Sam

President & CEO

ChristianCafe.com

P.S. And yes, I do have an MBA: Ivey, 1995 (Canada’s Harvard).

markusNo Gravatar 03.13.06 at 9:36 pm
I thought it was pretty funny :)

How will that new proposed anti price descrimination law effect you? I saw that lavalife and quest personals signed a letter threatening to leave the country if it became law.

Sam Moorcoft, ChristianCafe.comNo Gravatar 03.13.06 at 9:52 pm
Sorry, Marcus, run that proposed legislation by me again.
Sam Moorcroft, ChristianCafe.comNo Gravatar 03.16.06 at 1:03 am
Found it: Mark Brooks posted on this Mar 13, 2006:

http://onlinepersonalswatch.typepad.com/news/2006/03/dating_services.html

Thanks, Mark.

Marcus, I fail to see how this legislation will have any affect on us (assuming it passes - the idea that a woman is being discriminated against by paying more for a haircut than a man is beyond me; this is simply not an apples-to-apples comparison).

Our pricing is not dependent on gender (never has been). Unlike LavaLife & QuestPersonals we have no problem attracting women; our membership is actually slightly skewed to the female side (a rarity in this business, I realise).

Back at ya.

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