Online Personals Watch: News on the Dating Industry and Business

Suicide Girls

METROACTIVE--SuicideGirls reads like a hybrid of punk pinup, Friendster and Vice magazine. "The members like to hook up with each other in person, whether it's going to a show or to parties or just hanging out at a coffee shop. We have had quite a few couples meet on the site who are now dating very seriously." ...It has found press in the pages of Spin, Playboy and The New Yorker. Suicide Girls have shown up in music videos and appeared on MTV with Courtney Love. ...Suicide Girls parties in Portland and New York have attracted frenzied crowds. SILICON VALLEY METRO

eHarmony Presents New CD Series

BUSINESS WIRE --Oct 26 -- eHarmony today introduced a CD series for singles, Finding the Love of your Life. eHarmony developed the product as a means to self-awareness and preparation for healthy, long-term relationships. 12 CDs each contain 60 minutes of guidance and insight on the most important areas of mate selection, with accompanying online self-assessments that help to pinpoint strengths, weaknesses and attractiveness to the opposite sex.

Singles learn to sell themselves for Online Dating

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD--As online dating rapidly infuses the singles scene, many personal ads have gone from ho-hum and cliche-filled to catchy and witty. Says David Evans of ProfileDoctor.com,"If you sound like every other profile, and don't make an effort to stand out, people are much more likely to pass right over you. ...For those really brave and open souls, there's always Esquire's Brutally Honest Personals OMAHA.com

Marriage in North America

LONDON FREE PRESS--Despite the 50% divorce rate in North America, Campbell believes marriage will remain popular. "The fact is the majority of people who get married, stay married for a long time. And some stay married forever." Marriage is directly linked to health and happiness. Preliminary research shows people who are married tend, overall, to be happier in life and have better health outcomes than those who have never wed. However, people who have never been married tend to be happier than those who have married and divorced. Campbell sees speed-dating, in particular, as an attractive alternative for those who have felt the sting of rejection. LONDON FREE PRESS

Social-network Sites Scramble for Prosperity

SEATTLE TIMES--...There are two strategies now in play. The first: Some startups have decided social networking will never make any money, but they'll try to make money off other services instead, such as job or apartment listings. Mountain View, Calif.'s LinkedIn is one.
The second — used by dozens of companies, including Friendster, MySpace and Multiply — is to draw so many users that advertisers will pay to be on the Web site. SEATTLE TIMES

True; Safer Dating, Or Not?

LEDGER-ENQUIRER--...True.com (and I think this is a matter of great concern) posts a disclaimer on its site: Not all states or jurisdictions are covered. If this doesn't send up red flags, I'm not sure what would. So how extensive can the company's background checks be, if all states and jurisdictions are not in the database? People who are serious about background checks, may want to check with local police departments.

Talk Now Adds Speed-dating Dimension to Mobile Date/chat Service

TORONTO, Oct. 19 /CNW/ - Mobilehookup's patent pending 'Talk Now' combines text messaging's fun and convenience with speed-dating's functionality. 'Talk Now,' allows Mobilehookup members to talk live for five minutes on the telephone while protecting user privacy and anonymity.

TRUE Secures Support of Michigan Legislature for Its Nationwide Campaign to Increase Online Dating Safety

DALLAS, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- ...Michigan becomes the first state to pass the bill in its House and the fifth state overall to embrace TRUE's proposed safety legislation. TRUE's proposed safety legislation requires that all online dating providers prominently disclose on their websites whether they perform criminal background checks on their members. Currently, TRUE is the only online relationship service that actively promotes the safety of its users by performing extensive criminal screening.

Buy.com Entering Social Networking Scene

BOSTON - Online retailer Buy.com is inviting itself into the expanding social networking scene, acquiring a Web site that rewards members with checks or gift certificates if they persuade others to buy their favorite products. Metails.com

PlanetOut IPO

THE DEAL--PlanetOut trading sharply higher in its first day as a public company. San Francisco-based, sold 4.65 million shares at $9, raised $41.9 million; rose 15.6% in its debut, closing at $10.40. PlanetOut is a product of the 2001 merger between PlanetOut Corp. and Gay.com parent company OnlinePartners.com Inc. It serves 3.3 million members. THE DEAL

Video Dating Meets Speed Dating in London

NETIMPERATIVE--Mobile network operator 3 is promoting the benefits of its mobile video technology through a speed dating event in partnership with retailer Selfridges. One hundred men and women, selected through a public vote, will attend, presumably looking for love over video phone. Once their ads are recorded they will be posted to www.endoftheblinddate.com NETIMPERATIVE

Classmates.com Taps PerfectMatch.com as Relationship Channel Partner

BUSINESS WIRE--PerfectMatch.com announced its partnership with Classmates.com, a leading online community where 38 million members find, connect and stay in touch. The PerfectMatch.com management team pioneered online dating by founding and growing Kiss.com and Udate.com. ALTAVISTA

Infidelity Finds Niche on Internet

CROSSWALK--The thought of infidelity becoming an Internet industry is not just an abstract notion. The demands of such clientele are met through websites which act as typical online dating services by offering matches and dates. Additional resources include, but are not limited to, tips on how to cover one's tracks as well as tips on how to arrange a sexual encounter in a quick and economical fashion. Slogan, "When Monogamy Becomes Monotony." CROSSWALK.com

Online Matchmaking Claims Put to the Test, With Research Findings to be Published by North American Journal of Psychology

DALLAS, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- TRUE, today announced that its research paper on the validity of online matchmaking tests will be published in the December issue of the North American Journal of Psychology, a progressive academic journal that covers a wide range of issues and topics related to the field of psychology. LINK TO BUY NAJP Home Spearheaded by TRUE's chief psychological officer, Dr. James Houran. "Do Online Matchmaking Tests Work? An Assessment of Preliminary Evidence for a Publicized 'Predictive Model of Marital Success,'" is the first academic publication to explore the growing acceptance of online matchmaking as a scientifically legitimate approach to mate selection. The paper further explores the claims of several online dating sites that their services and testing methods derived from scientific foundations.

Single Stewardess Starts Her Own Dating Website

PR WEB--I have a great job and fly around the world but meeting the man of my dreams has been difficult. So I have taken the bull by the horns and started my own dating agency...Those in the UK can look forward to local dating events. Redfacedating.com.

Experts Wonder Aloud if Marriage is 'Disposable'

CLARKSBURG -- The phrase "happily ever after" may be the perfect ending to fairy tales, but does it exist in reality?...Divorce rate is at nearly 50% (U.S. Census).  Still, Americans keep trying.  Almost 60% of the U.S. population is married.  Some believe the perception of marriage has changed from "until death do us part" to "until the divorce papers are finalized."  The top two things couples argue about are money and kids. The top reason for getting divorced is infidelity...Some individuals don't realize a marriage needs to be maintained and nurtured...The marriage rate is down 3% since 1990 and 13% from 1970...5% of married people make it to their 50th wedding anniversary.

Online Dating Faces Rejection

ECommerce Times--10/11--To stay afloat, existing online dating players will have to enhance what they're doing and dump a lot more dollars into new technologies and services, and that could affect their margins...The US market will expand 19% this year, to $473 million, according to Jupiter Research...32% to $623 million, over the following five years..."The big growth in the U.S. is over," says Nate Elliott, Jupiter...This September, the U.S. had 844 dating sites, up 11% from a year ago.

Internet Coming Back In Style

INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY--So far, online dating is the leading paid content service, but the growth is leveling off...U.S. sales of online ads are expected to reach $16.1 billion in 2009, up from $2.1 billion in 1998; mainly paid search.

Las Vegas Business Press

LVBP--It's Just Lunch (founded '91) has 65 outlets around the world that match clients with dates through lunch or cocktails after work. Taylor opened the Las Vegas It's Just Lunch in March and has built a client base of more than 200 singles in 6 months. With it's one-year membership cost of $1,500 (16 dates), the company targets individuals between 30 and 45 years old...$75,000 average start-up cost...50%+ operating expenses is advertising; print and radio.  LAS VEGAS BUSINESS PRESS

Online Romance; Age No Bar

TIMES OF INDIA--...As Gilda Carle, psychotherapist, believes online dating gives seniors "something to live for, that they didn't have before...In August, more than 16% of those active on the top five dating sites were 55+. Overall, the number of people active on top dating sites grew to 22.53 million in August from 22.28 million a year ago. 26% of singles aged 55+ indicated they were looking for a commitment or marriage, much lower than the 55% for ages 18-29 and 60% for ages 30-39. TIMES OF INDIA