Memberships are soaring at dating websites as more singletons opt to screen out duds online before spending cash on a face-to-face date.

See article from Globe and Mail 

And NO, www. cheapdate .com does not exist! (no live domain, no website)

Here some strategic watch and business intelligence for dating industry on Feb 1 2009:

-Online revenue no match for print costs: NEWSPAPERS are facing a future where smaller newsrooms will need to turn out smarter reporting in a variety of media, while the printed product is sold at a higher price to fewer advertisers and a smaller paid circulation. Read the Article from TheAustralian.

-The Biology of Dating: Why Him, Why Her? Ah, the eternal question: why is HE with HER? Biological anthropologist Helen Fisher thinks she has found the answer after studying the academic literature on personality and after poring over 40,000 responses to a questionnaire on an online dating site. Read more from Time.com

-Black Dating Site, BlackPeopleMeet.com, and Steve Harvey Morning Show team up to launch Radio Date™ Segment. Read more from PR Newswire

-Dating sites fight for Valentines: As Valentine’s Day approaches, single consumers are shopping for love on the Web, and online dating sites are looking to attract them, making online dating a growth area for e-commerce. Read more from Dmnews

-Date.com offers Free Access to members in India: Beginning today, new members in India can join the site and automatically have access to Date.Com’s features.”In India, there is a long standing culture of matrimony which is similar in nature to online dating,” Date.Com CEO Meir Strahlberg said in a statement issued by Asianet. Read more from Indopia.in

Markus Frind from Plenty of Fish said he is looking to acquire some dating websites.

Frind says he is “letting hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues slip through my fingers every year by sending people to competitors PAID sites”.

So Markus is now looking to buy some existing paid websites to go into the market against big names like Match.com, Chemistry, Date.com, Friendfinder etc..

To contact Markus: http://plentyoffish.wordpress.com/about/

Here is the Ashley Madison Super Bowl commercial ad that was banned from NFL 2009 Super Bowl event.

When Divorce isn’t an Option

“Usage is down, but revenues are up” says EMarketer.

But how is this possible ??

“Because online dating site marketers got smart about pricing and targeting. Monthly fees can be $30 or more, depending on the service. Dating sites are counting on the fact that a small percentage of Internet users are serious enough about dating to pay for services of this sort instead of meeting through social networks”

Waow!

US Online Dating Revenues Statistics for 2007 to 2012:

Demographic Profiles of Online Dating Users:

SeekingArrangement is a sugar daddy style dating website.

Site is not new, it was founded few years ago by Brandon Wade (ex Microsoft employee) and has now 300,000 members.

It describes itself as The Premier Dating Website for Sugar Daddies, Mommies and Babies.

Website: www. seekingarrangement .com

Matchalot reduces the number of clicks to date online.

Site is free and puts a max of profiles on a single page.

Website: matchalot. com

StatetoStateConnect .com is a new adult social network for dating and making friends.

Social Portal that offers Networking/Dating and all around entertainment for adults online.

President/CEO is Tegina Williams.

Website: www .statetostateconnect .com

Dating Intelligence Watch on January 25, 2009:

-70% of Brits spy on their partner online. Read more.

-Online dating over 40. Read one woman’s honest account of getting back into the dating game. By Olivia Rosen

-A cheap date on Long Island for $30 or less. Read more

-Match.com Ramps Up Campaign To Boost UK Dominance In 2009. Read.

-About Recession Dating.

-New Dallas-based online dating site, DownToEarth.com highlights new member features and no fee

Forget Speed Dating. Britain’s Singles Now Prefer Slow Dating to Speed Dating.

Forget 7 minutes per single adult.

Now it’s 20 hours on each first date!

This results from a study done by Parship.co.uk:

- 18 Million First Dates in 2008, With 68% Initiated Online
- The Average First Date Lasts Over 4 Hours
- Build-up to Each First Date Occupies 12 hours.

1 The set-up – 5 hours 36 mins
2 Pre-date fantasy – 4 hours 45 mins
3 Pre-date preparation – 2 hours
4 The date itself – 4 hours 18 mins
5 Post-date analysis – 3 hours 30 mins
Total: 20 hours.

More than 10 hours before meeting up.

So what about a new concept called Slow Dating instead of Speed Dating.

Slow dating = you better now the person.. it’s obvious.

What about a slow dating during weeks or months..? ; -)