Online Dating Industry Journal

Number of Polish People Moving to Ireland Spawns New Dating Service

(Online Dating Industry Journal) With 250,000 Polish people living in Ireland and more moving their regularly, new services are targeting the population, including online dating services. Ireland online dating service AnotherFriend.com has announced that it has opened a new version of its online dating service, just for Polish people living in Ireland. AnotherFriend.com was translated and given a Polish domain extension - AnotherFriend.pl.

"Translating the site is one way we have embraced the market but there are many more opportunities presenting themselves as the market continues to expand," says Grainne Barry, Managing Director of AnotherFriend.com. "AnotherFriend.com is lucky because we can anticipate trends based on the actions of our users. Advertisers seek to use our site to target their desired audience and we know advertising works for them because the site traffics over 8 million impressions per month and we can monitor every click."

Barry says that the average age of its members are between 28 and 45 and that the man to woman ratio is equally split at 50/50.

"Our own research tells us that online dating is the future of dating and coupled with positive stateside statistics we are confident that demand for this site," says Barry. "Extra services like the Polish translation, will grow. It’s the age-old business rule, where people go, advertisers follow and we will endeavor to anticipate trends rather than react to them."

AnotherFriend.com first launched eight years ago and the founders claim that there have been more than 200 marriages as a result of their service.

New Service Allows You to Buy a Date

(Online Dating Industry Journal) A new online dating service is hoping that its concept of buying a date (or as they call it "pay to play") will catch on with online daters. BuyUCoffee allows online daters to set a price someone will have to pay to go out with them. Users can only set the price between $10 and $50, however.

The dating service feels that the idea will weed out people not serious about dating.

"Our approach using this nominal fee filters out people who are not serious or who are just flirting," said Steve Casper, BuyUCoffee VP of Marketing. "We've found if you're willing to pay the person this fee, you're serious about meeting and pursuing a relationship."

The Online Dating Industry Journal contacted Casper to inquire about how the payment between dates works. Casper says the price for the date is listed on users profiles, however members are on the honor system to pay their date when they meet in person.

BuyUCoffee charges $29.99 for a one month membership, but allows unpaid members to respond for free to an email from a paid member.

Joe's Comments
One of the stigmas associated with online dating is that it is for "desperate" people (a stigma Hannah Montana recently reinforced when asked if she had found a boyfriend online and responded "I'm no that desperate yet"). The concept of paying someone in order to go on a date with them plays right into that stigma.

I should also note that this is a serious business effort. BuyUCoffee is owned by SuccessfulMatch, a company that owns more than 30 online dating services, including MillionaireMatch and AgeMatch.

New Service Targets Parents of Special Needs Children

(Online Dating Industry Journal) A new online dating service called Reach4Romance is seeking to bring together parents of special needs children.

The service was recently highlighted in an article appearing in the Oxford Mail. From the article:

"Jane Stooks, 43, of Clifton, near Bicester, said potential partners were scared off when she revealed her nine-year-old son George had severe autism...

So she and two friends set up a new dating website with a dedicated section for parents of youngsters with special needs..."

Click here to read the full article.

Joe's Comments
While it's always nice to hear about the inspiration behind how a new online dating service was started, the reality of the oversaturated marketplace has already predetermined this service's fate.  Unfortunately this isn't like the movie Field of Dreams - build it and they will come.  There are several dating services, like this one, started out of what the person thought was a genuine need and desire. But the marketplace doesn't respond to perceptions - only to reality. Thus, without a really good business plan, venture capital funding, and a model for securing mass amounts of users, this service will end up like 99.9% of other online dating services - on eBay or a historic memory in someone's mind.

I implore people to really research the marketplace before opening a new online dating service. In this case, the people were able to at least get some publicity, but their niche focus is so small that it will make little difference.

Now if they have a strong advertising plan that targets children with special needs Websites and offline events for the target group, and a city-by-city growth and advertising campaign, then they may be able to see some limited success... a word very many people don't hear within the industry. If the owners of this site want to email me, I'll share a few specific ideas (which will require a lot of time and hard work) to increase the chances of success.

"New" Online Dating Background Check Service Launches

(Online Dating Industry Journal) National Background Data has announced, in a press release, an online dating background check service called Registry CrimSAFE that provides quick background check options for online dating services. According to National Background Data, Registry CrimSAFE "automates the evaluation of criminal records and quickly delivers concise, criminal screening decisions."

""Registry CrimSAFE is an exciting addition to our suit of services." exclaims Bill Bollinger executive vice president at National Background Data, which runs Registry CrimSAFE. "Using criminal background screening to prevent criminals from joining an organization is a safeguard that helps protect clientele and reduces the liability associated with criminal activity. By increasing the effectiveness of criminal screening and streamlining the decision process, Registry CrimSAFE makes it easy for an organization to manage and enforce screening as a precautionary defense."

National Background Data also offers "Screen a Date" services for online dating companies.

Joe's Comments
If online dating services aren't going to continue fighting state legislation about background checks, then perhaps they might want to consider starting to do background checks. This will take away True.com's unique selling proposition and bring more positive publicity about doing background checks to multiple online dating services, not just True.com. If True.com loses its unique selling point, then it takes away a reason for online daters to use their service over others.

Researching these stories is always fun and this story is a prime example. We first noticed a press release from National Background Data about Registry CrimSAFE. After reading the release, we went to their Website and found no mention of Registry CrimSAFE whatsoever. So then we started researching the Registry CrimSAFE program only to find out that it isn't so new. It has been associated with a company called First Advantage. So next we researched First Advantage and found out that they acquired National Background Data LLC way back in 2004. There is information about Registry CrimSAFE here (at First Advantage's site), but not at National Background Data's site (as of this posting) and they are the ones that put out the release. So we have a message in to National Background Data for clarification. It is our goal at Online Dating Industry Journal to always provide you with top quality information that has been researched before we write about it.

Update (4/1/08 1:45PM PST): I received a response back from William J Bollinger, Executive Vice President of National Background Data that they, indeed, had not updated their Website with the Registry CrimSAFE information prior to putting out a press release about it! The information should be up shortly. His email stated that the Website was being updated...

New Animal Lovers Dating Site Opens

(Online Dating Industry Journal) The Right Breed is a new online dating service targeting single pet owners and animal lovers.  For the months of April and May, the service will be free to everyone. After that, the cost will be $14.99 a month. A portion of the monthly fees will go towards an adoption program where the site will assist in costs to allow elderly people, seriously ill children, and disabled people to adopt a pet.

The service's slogan is "Find a friend for your pet. Find a love interest for you."

Joe's Comments
The Right Breed put out a press release (we edit press releases to remove bias statements and fluff) and the title of the press release was, "Animal Lovers Finally Have Their Own Dating Site". 

It's amazing how many times people put out misleading statements about their service. I see it all the time. In fact, nearly two years after Online Dating Magazine had launched, Match.com launched their own dating magazine saying it was the "first and only online magazine" to cover dating and relationships for singles. The fact is that there were already a handful of magazine's out there serving the same purpose, including Online Dating Magazine.

One reason the Online Dating Industry Journal exists is to cut through the fluff and get to the facts then deliver them to you. It takes us longer to create our posts because we take the time to edit and research and are honored to be of service to you in this manner.

In regards to dating services for animal lovers, there are dozens of them. The Right Breed is not the first, nor will they be the last. However, I do commend their charity adoption program and hope that it works the way they intend. One of the things I like about online dating service Romantic Planet is that  they give a portion of their earnings to charity.

Sparkbliss Taking Engage.com Approach to Matchmaking

(Online Dating Industry Journal) A new online dating service has launched that uses the same methods as Engage.com for matching. New service Sparkbliss lets friends play the role of matchmaker. Their mission is, "enable qualified introductions and provide a joyful experience to anybody who wants to be a matchmaker."

"Most friends and family instinctively meddle in our affairs of the heart and have done so for as long as time," says Natalie Raines of Sparkbliss. "Compared to all other means of meeting significant others nothing compares to the successful results of romantic introductions by friends and friends of friends.  However, until Sparkbliss there has never been an online application that facilitated and optimized this age-old practice."

Sparkbliss says their service is free because "finding the right person should not require a monthly subscription."

Joe's Comments
They are wrong that there has never been an online application that uses friends to help with the matchmaking process. There are several, but the biggest is engage.com.

Related Links
Engage.com Turns on Its Publicity Machine

It's Just Lunch Opens Second Asia Location

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Matchmaking service It's Just Lunch has added its second Asian location, now bringing its total matchmaking locations to more than 100 worldwide. The newest branch is located in Bangkok, Thailand.

"We are very excited about this latest development and we are looking forward to get singles in Bangkok hooked up," says the managing director of the Singapore franchisee, Anisa Hassan, who also owns and operates the new branch in Thailand. "We are very surprised that even before we are officially opened, we have so many professional singles expressing interests in our service. Indeed, our global brand recognition has preceded us.”

While It's Just Lunch uses the Internet to publicize its service and get people to sign up, potential members must go to an actual It's Just Lunch office in order to be matched. It's Just Lunch is responsible for hundreds of in-person first dates every week.

Joe's Comments
Matchmaking is still thriving online and offline... and when one person doesn't have success with one, it's not unheard of to see them try the other. TV shows like Confessions of a Matchmaker and Millionaire Matchmaker also help keep the offline matchmaking industry strong.

Failed Dating Service Tries Again

(Online Dating Industry Journal) A failed online dating service is trying to spread its wings again, relaunching to the public two years after it disappeared. DegreeDate is a free online dating service that opened in 2004 then closed its doors in 2006. According to the owners, the reason they closed was due to "hackers". But now they promise that their service is hack free and safe.

DegreeDate bills itself as "is a safe, online meeting place for educated singles who value the same in their prospective date, partner, significant other, future spouse, or whatever label you place on the man or woman you choose."

According to Seattle's King5 News, before DegreeDate closed down in 2006, "at its peak, the site had a couple thousand members."

Joe's Comments
DegreeDate is another venture set up as an "online dating service" that spends more time promoting other online dating services via their affiliate programs. New features and a new redesign won't help it survive beyond another few years. What they need is a winning business plan. Of course, getting some publicity from King 5 was a good start.

The founder of DegreeDate claimed to King 5 that the "online dating stigma is gone". Far from it. The online dating stigma is not gone.

RandoMate - Speed Dating Online

(Online Dating Industry Journal) Growing in popularity, RandoMate is the fifth service Online Dating Magazine has tracked to bring speed dating into the online environment. The service puts members into online speed dating chats where they spend five minutes with "five suitable partners" during each session. The service is for heterosexuals, gays, and lesbians.

The service was launched by 29-year-old Art Harrison who lives in Toronto, Canada. Following in the footsteps of PlentyofFish's Markus Frind, Harrison says:

"I AM Randomate.com. There was no seed money, no start-up funding, no venture capitalists, no development team -- there was no one but me. I do the programming, the design, the eating, the sleeping, the coffee brewing and everything else it takes to get and keep this site going..."

Harrison bills his site as "speed dating 2.0"

Joe's Comments
These online speed dating sites are starting to pop up as the "new niche" to target. It will be interesting to see who reigns supreme. The very early adopter, in480.com, is struggling. SpeedDate and WooMe are doing good for having just launched recently. Camlink is the other newbee on the block.

SinglesPlease One of the First Free Online Dating Services?

(Online Dating News Journal) A new free online dating service launched today - SinglesPlease.com - and is trying to convince the public that they are one of the first free online dating services.

In a press release put out by SinglesPlease, it says:

"Unlike some of its competitors like Match.com, Yahoo Personals, AmericanSingles, and eHarmony, who charge anywhere from $24.99 t o $49.99 per month, SinglesPlease.com is one of the first dating sites to offer its services in full without a monthly subscription."

According to Online Dating Magazine, there are more than 100 free online dating services, including dominate ones like PlentyofFish and OKcupid. Free online dating services have been in existence since earlier this century.

Joe's Comments
I understand the need for press when a new online dating service launches, but trying to market yourself as "one of the first dating sites to offer its services in full without a monthly subscription" when you're getting involved late in the game is more than just a bit misleading. But then again, it did get them press here. :-)