Tobias Escher at the OII

Today we had a talk by Jason Stockwood who is Managing Director of Match.com UK which is an online dating site. Jason shared some interesting numbers: 20% leave their service because they found “someone significant”, average time spent is 6 months before dropping out (about 50% of them come back though), the core is 28 to 35 years of age and putting up your photograph increases your chances to meet someone 15 fold.

In his view advantages of online dating are:

• extends range of potential partners
• cover every niche
• cheaper than inviting people for dinner
• avoid social awkwardness
• convenient 24/7 (match.com is used throughout the day and night but 12-2 seems popular, 7-9 subscription, Sunday most popular)
• intellectual connection over physical attraction
• on paid sites: policing

problems of online dating are:

• social stigma (but decreasing)
• technology is de-humanising
• security concerns (mainly personal data protection)
• overall market just £100m but 10m singles in UK (rising)

Jason argued that maybe online dating might be seen as a return to more traditional ways of dating instead of the current culture of depending on luck and alcohol for getting together. What is more, undoubtedly culture is changing towards more single lifes although biology (the instinct to reproduce) does not change that much. To summarize his argument, Jason basically believes that in the near future (by 2015) online dating will be the normal way of dating.

One interesting idea he had for future development would be a meta-search engine for dating. Also there is an interesting conflict for the future development of those sites. Their main value is to be able to choose from as many people as possible so this would favour a monopoly in a winner takes all situation.

He mentioned that they are also quite keen to sponsor research in this area (i.e. on their data) so if that rings a bell with you, get in touch with him.