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Bambi Francisco at MarketWatch asks why dating sites are still charging when social networking sites like Myspace offer free access to multitudes of singles.
She asks why would a consumer bother paying to be in front of Match’s 15 million members around the world when they can find more than 100 million on MySpace, and even more on YouTube?
Yes, I know the paid sites provide some vetting and qualifying, and they cost about $1 a day. But there are no hard statistics on the success ratio of transactions, such as lasting relationships, let alone marriages. And, even Spark Network CEO David Siminoff predicts that the repeat business in online dating will go up from 2.7 times per person.
Match.com generated $248 million in sales last year and is on a run-rate to generate $312 million this year. (Spark Network’s CEO David) Siminoff says that his network will do about $70 million in sales. And, he’s estimating that privately-held eHarmony and Yahoo Personals generated about $165 million and $100 million, respectively. Just adding those big four alone gets you closer to $600 million. Still, that’s chump change compared to the roughly $12 billion in advertising online.
Bambi says mass-market dating is dying and the solution is to niche-fy. That’s exactly what Spark Networks is trying to do. Date warehouse or niches, what do you think?
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I am trying to keep up with the online dating trend and came across the above article myself.
Not only is the Internet changing at a fast pace, so is the world. Today 5 years in time is like 50 years was half a century ago.
I tried many of the dating sites a few years ago - when I became single again.
I was looking for more than a date though. You might say by the natural progression of things, that I learned, little by little, I ended up on foreign women dating/marriage sites.
Most sites are free to “look”, but I had to pay to get info for a closer connection to the woman in the profile. Some sites were cheaper than others.
Eventually I met my special gal from one of these foreign sites and we have been married 2 1/2 years now, even though I had to travel 7,600 miles to meet her!
What a blast and great adventure for both of us!
The couple of years of me wading through the various domestic dating sites gave me an education.
I am glad that I had this experience under my belt by the time that I met my bride, for who knows, it might have turned out not so happily!
I’m married (and happily I might add!) myself; but my grandmother always said “you get what you pay for” and it looks like that might be true in love too.
Careingly,
Anita
Why people don’t complain when they pay $ 20 or more to watch a soccer match or theather play that entertains them 2 hours or so?
I agree with what you said.
It is important too ‘I may add here’ that dating sites can give more of a quality experience and a sense of privacy and seriousness when you pay for then and their access! Paying means other people are likely to be more serious about the Matching datting - matting propcess.