Online Dating Industry Journal

Business Cards for the Online Dater

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Similarly to what Peek a Bio announced in January of this year, a mother - daughter Australian team has launched Chick 'n' Chit.  Just like Peek a Bio, with Chick 'n' Chit you receive cards that you can give out to people you would like to get to know better.  You are then directed to a website where you can start interacting online similar to an online dating situation.

According to Chick 'n' Chit, the difference between a regular business card and a chit is that a chit does not contain any personal or contact details. Instead it tells people you would like to meet them and contains only a personal id number which enables anyone you hand a chit to, to access your photo/profile on the Chick 'n' Chit website. From that point on the system becomes pure Internet dating where you are able to contact each other through the website, get to know a little about each other then, at your leisure and when you are ready, arrange to meet.

New Online Dating Service MyDateReview.com

(Online Dating Industry Journal) According to a press release, Mydatereview.com, recently launched by founder Kate Jones, allows members to manage their dating life in a single location and use the site in conjunction with their existing dating sites.  Mydatereview.com is a community website where you can manager your dates and contacts using Date Tracker, send an "Ice Breaker" form before your first date, get a review of your last date, and tag yourself and your dates. 

"Our members are already using the site to get invaluable feedback and advice from the people they’re dating to help them in their quest to find their perfect partner" said Jones. "Other dating web sites introduce you to possible partners. We take over from there and make sure our members spend time with the right people".

CampusKiss Survey on Online Intimacy Habits

(Online Dating Industry Journal) CampusKiss.com, Canada's largest online dating community for university and college students, posted a survey of 2,684 students from more than 150 universities and colleges in Canada responding.   The survey was about online sexual habits of users.  A CBS News article indicated that, according to the survey, "87 percent of more than 2,500 respondents 'fessed up to technology-assisted sex via tools like instant message, Web cams, and text message.'"

Noah Gurza, founder of CampusKiss, feels that the high percentage has a large part to do with the demographic of his dating service.  Users are 18-22 years of age and have pretty much "grew up in an online world." 

In the article, Louanne Cole Weston, Ph.D., a board-certified sex therapist in Fair Oaks, Calif, says that not only college student can benefit from online intimacy.  From the article:

"This provides a good option to people who are not as sexually desirable because of their physical appearance," says Weston. "Now, people who were disenfranchised by virtue of their appearance have an outlet to be sexually active in a nondiscriminating marketplace."

Weston explains that single parents who don’t have enough time on their hands or widows who are reconnecting with new people are other good examples of those who might benefit from virtual sex -- beyond college students.

Another relevant result from the survey was when asked what the best place was to "pick up" on campus.  47% of students chose bars: 25% for the campus bar; 22% for the neighborhood bar, but 20% say online is the best place.  You can view the complete survey results on CampusKiss.com. 

Kim's Comments:
The survey by CampusKiss shows that singles (especially the younger crowd) do not only use online dating service to find dates or spark relationships, but also for their own basic physical desires.  For many this comes as no surprise and, as there are more and more people reaching adulthood that have grown up with the Internet, IM, and online communication as just another way to interact, intimate interaction online seems to be becoming more commonplace, judging from the 87% on CampusKiss.

More on the Matchmaker Acquisition

(Online Dating Industry Journal) As revealed in ODIJ last week, Avalanche LLC, owners of Date.com, has now officially announced their acquisition of online dating service Matchmaker. 

"As we entered the millennium, Matchmaker was a force to be reckoned with in the online dating industry," said Meir Strahlberg, President of Avalanche LLC and CEO of Date.com. "Through this acquisition, we are looking forward to breathing new life into the site and reinvigorating the brand. By wedding Date.com and Matchmaker.com with one shared technical platform, and a dual marketing strategy, we are excited about ushering Matchmaker back to the pinnacle of the online dating industry."

Matchmaker will continue to operate as a separate entity, with a focus on the marriage-minded single but will share a technical platform with Date.com. Date.com, will be Avalanche’s site for the more casual dater. Avalanche LLC acquired Matchmaker for an undisclosed amount.

Kim's Comments:
It looks like the founders of Date.com have acquired Matchmaker in hopes of competing against marriage and long-term relationship focused sites like eHarmony and Match.com's new Chemistry.com.  I wonder if they will completely change their format and unveil a compatibility test themed service on Matchmaker.  That seems to be the trend in this competitive niche market.  As of now, this hasn't happened and it still seems like a standard online dating service open to anyone, but, I would expect a few changes soon to better compete with the relationship focused giants. 

Cougar Culture Goes Online

(Online Dating Industry Journal) An article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel takes a look at what it is to be an "urban cougar" and how one online dating service is trying to cash in on the culture around the catch-phrase.  According to the article, an urban cougar label used to be "an unflattering characterization of middle-aged, boy-hungry single women. But as more women shed the traditional taboos about age and dating, the name has been taken on as a badge of empowerment by sexy, older professional women who prefer the physical and spiritual qualities of younger men."

Not only are there books and movies coming out about "Cougars" but there is also an online dating service that uses the term to appeal to this niche audience of older women looking for younger men.  UrbanCougar.com, co-founded by a guy who calls himself "Cash Money", started up online in 2004 to appeal to the onler-women-younger-men niche. 

Online Dating Numbers Reach 10 Million in China

(Online Dating Industry Journal) An article in China Daily notes that, according to Shanghai-based research firm iResearch, the number of people who used online dating services in China last year reached 10 million.  Hou Tao, an executive from iResearch, noted in the article that the number of online daters in China is expected to grow from 6.5 million in 2004 to 29 million in 2008.

The article also detailed China-based online dating service Love21cn, founded by University postgraduate Gong Haiyan. From the article:

"Gong claimed that since the birth of her site in October 2003, 400,000 members have signed up, of whom 26,000 have rung wedding bells.

Sites like hers are trying to solve the problem of "information disparity" and provide an open space for finding a potential spouse, she said. ...Much of the online population is young and well-educated, which is the ideal demographic for matchmaking sites such as Love21cn. "

Although growth is expected, Gong admitted that a lot of the site's revenue comes from advertisers, not annual memberships.  Read the full article at China Daily. 

Australian Retirees Turn to Dating Agencies

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Retirees in Australia are finding a new form of entertainment in droves - dating. Whether using dating agencies or online dating, those over the age of 60 aren't shy about searching for love.

Austrailian newspaper The Sunday Mail recently tackled this issue. From the article:

"An estimated 10,000 people aged 60-plus are registered with dating agencies in southeast Queensland – with thousands more signed up... Sharron Healey, who manages Brisbane's Face to Face agency, said 25 per cent of her 25,000 members were older than 60, compared with just 10 per cent 10 years ago."

The growth of seniors using dating services is in line with the growing number of seniors in the United States turning to agencies and online mediums to find love. This number isn't being ignored by online dating services, which are doing more senior advertising to attract retired people looking for love.

Bio of Meir Strahlberg, CEO of Date.com

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Online Dating Magazine has posted a bio and history of Mier Strahlberg, CEO of Date.com.  It details his work history, duties for Date.com and quotes from Strahlberg regarding Date.com. 

Industry Look at Pros and Cons of Background Checks

(Online Dating Industry Journal) This week, Online Dating Magazine publisher Joe Tracy weighed in once again on the issue of background check legislation in his "Inside the Industry" column.  In response to the Illinois House passing a bill to require background checks or a message on dating sites telling members that they don't require background checks, Tracy made mention of the reasons why a similar bill did not pass in Virginia last year.  From the article:

In Virginia's case, perhaps committee member Chap Petersen (Virginia Democrat from Fairfax) put it best when he told the Washington Post, "To think that you require a criminal background check is a little over the top. I think there's been some nightmarish stories, but I don't think that is unique to Internet dating. I felt like it was, frankly, overregulation and not an area where the government needs to jump in with both feet."

Overregulation is exactly what a bill like the one in Illinois would create. But it would also create an environment where the little guys (i.e. niche sites) would greatly struggle.

The article details the pros and cons of background checks, indicating that the cons dramatically outweigh the pros for reasons such as a false sense of security for members, lack of consistency, and increased cost to members. 

Kim's Comments:
I was surprised to hear in the article that even the ACLU has made public acknowledgment that background checks are flawed.  The ACLU data privacy expert went so far as to call background check services a "defective product".  That pretty much says it all there.  People are going to be misled into thinking that everyone on these dating sites have passed a background check.  I think that may be my biggest problem...an average dating service member who has not been following this story will be taken advantage of.  That member will not only have to pay more for a service with background checks, but will also falsely assume it is more safe than any other service when, in reality, there is always a potential risk.  Effort should be put into making members aware of the flawed system behind background checks. 

Online Dating Service Matchmaker Acquired

(Online Dating Industry Journal)  Online dating service Matchmaker has been acquired by Avalanche, LLC, owners of Date.com.  According to an article in Online Dating Magazine:

"Date.com has been working on its business infrastructure, also creating a parent company, Avalanche, LLC that now becomes the official "owner" of both Date.com and Matchmaker."

For the full article visit the Online Dating Magazine industry section.