OPW INTERVIEW - Oct. 14, 2005 - Jim Safka just celebrated his first year as CEO of Match.com. Jim came to Match.com from AT&T Wireless, where he served as VP and GM of E-commerce. Prior to that he spent five years at E*TRADE, most recently as VP Marketing, growing the customer base from 200,000 accounts to over four million. He held brand and product management positions at Intuit (Quicken), Warner Bros, and Paramount Pictures, and he has an MBA from Northwestern University and a B.S. Accounting from U.S.C.
Nielsen and Hitwise show Yahoo as being the top online personals site? Is there anything you'd like to say about this?
I believe Yahoo does a terrific job in the category of traffic. However, I think of the online dating category as a subscription business measured in terms of subscribers. If measurement is based on traffic and unique users alone, I don't think that is a clear indicator of who has the most market share. Yahoo! has the #1 site for direct traffic in the U.S (Match.com is #1 globally). However, Match.com has unparalleled distribution through partner sites that also bring people to Match.com; such as AOL and MSN. Here at Match.com we consider such things as: How many paid subscriptions do we have? How many new subscriptions are coming in? How much is each subscriber paying? How many people are visiting and subscribing? Measuring traffic is a great metric if you're running an advertising business. If you look at the number of subscriptions, we have twice as many subscriptions as our competitiors and to me that's the true mark of leadership.
Jupiter Research ran a survey this January and found 35% of online daters were somewhat dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with personals sites.
We're constantly doing things to improve our site and to make the member experience more meaningful and successful. In terms of satisfaction, when you take a step back and look at relationships in general and you consider that people have been dating or courting , forever, you'll see that dissatisfaction levels with dating and relationship experiences have always been high throughout history. As the Internet has become part of our daily lives, it expands peoples' possibilities. Now, a lot of people know someone who has met their spouse through Match.com. It's terrific in that respect. At the end of the day, though, people are people, and relationships are relationships. The new medium is a wonderful, fundamentally different way to meet, but it doesn't change the human dynamics.
What kind of paradigm and technology shifts will Match.com and the industry go through in the next 5 to 10 years?
The main thing happening is that online dating is becoming a mainstream way in which people meet people in this generation. It is just the way things work, so there won't be a real adoption curve future generations have to jump over. It will be completely natural for them. Online platforms will be a completely normal experience. It will be much more romantic when integrated voice and video are added. That will make it more natural and exciting. We're looking at location- based services as part of our wireless product, Match.com Mobile. It's interesting when we talk to our customers about these services, but they're not clamoring for it. So we'll see how it goes.
How will Chemistry.com stand distinguished from the likes of eHarmony and TRUE and PerfectMatch?
Chemistry is a breakthrough new product. We have been working at this business and helping people find love for 10 years at Match. It was the original company that started the online dating category, and we've studied single people in great depth. We commissioned what's considered to be the most extensive research identifying the relationship needs, attitudes and behaviors of single people in America, and we've gained important insights from the hundreds of thousands of Match success couples. We worked on Chemistry.com with a world reknowned anthropologist, Helen Fisher, to combine the best of real world interactions with online services. Take the Chemistry Profile. This profile very quickly figures out the types of people we should match you with - people you're most likely to have chemistry with. Users then go through our 1-2-3 Meet process. We do our best to facilitate a face-to-face meeting, because that's the true test of chemistry between two people. After the first meeting, users tell us how it went. We put this feedback back into the matching system, and Chemistry.com takes it into account to help deliver even better matches. We're reinventing this category the way we first did when we started Match.com 10 years ago...
Does a personality profiling system for an online personals site really need to be validated?
I think the personality profiling products need to be evaluated by the market and validated through successful customer experiences. We ask the questions that really matter to consumers. Is it delivering value? Is it facilitating the right kinds of relationships? Are our customers ending up in enduring relationships? For our products, we have a lot of proprietary data and patented technology that our customers tell us is working for them. This information isn't something we would feel comfortable turning over to a third party given the competitive nature of our industry.
What will be Match.com's position on singles events in 2006? You learned a lot from matchlive I'm sure - is there some potential to bring it back to life?
We're very interested in events. We still do events in the UK and as part of broader marketing partnerships. Events have been a terrific learning experience. I know for certain at Match, we're a company that really knows how to get people together, and we are terrific at building software! When it comes to a live events, we need to find the right partner. We would love to pursue singles events in 2006 and beyond! We're all about connecting people, and events are just one more way to do that. Events can also introduce people to online dating that may not otherwise consider it. As the category leader, we have a vested interest in growing the category, because we grow when our category grows.
When a man meets a woman he's interested in for the first time, he has to communicate two things to her, 1. he's interested, 2. he's safe. What is match's position on safety going to be in 2006?
The privacy and security of our members is our #1 priority at Match, and safety has been built into the site from day one. Since 1995, Match.com has used a patented, double-blind email system to help members communicate without revealing their personal contact information until they're ready. We have dating safety tips and advice right on our home page. The online dating category is becoming a part of how America operates -- how they meet. People also meet at the office, through family and friends, at restaurants, bars, and so on. No matter how you meet someone or how you were introduced, there are risks. And we believe that a bit of caution and skepticism is appropriate until someone proves themselves trustworthy. The most important thing is common sense and trusting your instincts. The same caution should be used wherever people meet. They should do that online just like any other environment.
Match.com is 10 years old, what would you like to achieve in 2006; or, what does the future hold for match.com?
This is a growth category. Jupiter predicted the online dating category would grow by 9% this year...and yet Match.com grew by 26% in the second quarter (year over year). We're the category leader. We have to continue to innovate. If you stall or trip as the leader of the band, you end up back in the tuba section. We will continue to grow this category by doing 3 things: 1. We will be the #1 player in the online dating category by continuing to innovate; and help build the category to more than $1 billion globally. 2. We believe the customer has all the answers, so we'll keep listening to them. Something that I do and every employee at Match.com does is stay close to the customer. Every person is trained on the customer service system. We're all involved in reviewing profiles, approving photos, and providing customer service. It's a requirement for everyone here at Match, from our receptionist all the way to me, as the CEO. We're all listening to our customers. 3. Continue providing a superior customer experience; we want to open up new possibilities for people and give them the tools they need to connect and build loving, lasting relationships. I get emails from literally hundreds of Match customers every month sharing their success stories; I even get invited to their weddings! We also stay in touch with Match couples that met years ago and are now sharing their baby stories with us. At the end of the day, that's what it's really all about, helping people find someone that they can build a life with.
When he said
"We commissioned what's considered to be the most extensive research identifying the relationship needs, attitudes and behaviors of single people in America, and we've gained important insights from the hundreds of thousands of Match success couples."
and
"2. We believe the customer has all the answers, so we'll keep listening to them. Something that I do and every employee at Match.com does is stay close to the customer."
he forget to mention that: It is only for the United States/Canada (English) site!!!
"Match.com lets you connect with singles around the globe. Our International sites support local languages and currencies. Please note: Use of Match.com international sites requires a separate membership on the International Match.com network.
Europe: Austria (German) Belgium (Dutch) Belgium (French) Denmark (Danish) Finland (Finnish) France (French) Germany (German) Italy (Italian) Netherlands (Dutch) Norway (Norwegian) Spain (Spanish European) Sweden (Swedish) Switzerland (French) Switzerland (German) United Kingdom (English)
Africa: South Africa (English)
Americas: Brazil (Portuguese) Mexico (Spanish Latino) Latin America (Spanish Latino) United States (Spanish Latino)
Asia: China (Simplified Chinese) Hong Kong (Traditional Chinese) India (English) Indonesia (English) Japan (Japanese) Korea (Korean) Malaysia (English) Pakistan (English) Philippines (English) Singapore (English) Taiwan (Traditional Chinese) Thailand (English) Vietnam (English)
Pacific: Australia (English) New Zealand (English)
International (English)"
Are the other sites only decorative satellites?
In a previous interview Yahoo Personals General Manager, Lorna Borenstein said:
"...just as we say at the site, we’re deeply focused on helping people have better first dates and more second dates."
She said at the SITE! Which one?
"Yahoo! Personals Current International Sites
Americas: US - Brazil - Canada
Europe: UK & Ireland - France - Germany
Asia Pacific: Australia & New Zealand - China - Hong Kong - Taiwan"
She forget to mention that the Premier is ONLY for US.
The Yahoo! Personals Premier Relationship Test
AND
Personality & Love Style Test
are in English for the United States and WORKS for that market only.
How big is the ONLINE DATING MARKET? United States/Canada USD600million (English), then Europe USD600million? (different languages), Asia USD500Million? (mostly Chinese and Japanese), Australia and New Zealand USD150million?(English) and LatinAmerica USD100million?(Spanish)
A global market as big as USD1950million???
It seems there is a common thinking-way between Ms. Lorna Borenstein and Mr. James Safka.
They are only worried/focused at the United States market!!!
600/1950 == 31% of the global market.
Regards,
Fernando Ardenghi.
Buenos Aires.
Argentina.
[email protected]
Posted by: Fernando Ardenghi | Oct 18, 2005 at 01:49 PM
Fernando,
The reality is that the US market is THE market which pays and pays big. Other 1st World countries like Canada, the UK, those in W. Europe, Australia, etc. also pay, although in smaller per capita rates.
3rd World countries hardly pay at all (they cannot afford it, and the consumer "spend spend spend" mentality is not present).
Consequently, it makes eminent business sense for dating sites (and other ecommerce businesses) to concentrate heavily on the US market.
We're based in Canada, but the US is our focus and makes up around 75% of our business.
The so-called "global market" (outside the 1st World) just doesn't cut it, when it comes to Internet dating.
Posted by: Sam Moorcroft, ChristianCafe.com | Oct 19, 2005 at 10:27 PM
Dear Mr. Moorcroft:
As per your previous comment,
How big is the 1ST WORLD ONLINE DATING MARKET?
Many persons do not pay or do not pay enough because many online dating sites do not have reliability/quality/precision
and
many online dating sites do not have reliability/quality/precision because many persons do not want to pay or do not pay as much as at the United States.
A VICIOUS CIRCLE
(Please do not mistake the “United States of America” with “America, the Continent”, as Mr. James Safka seems to do)
From now up to 2008: Wouldn't be MORE interesting to DEVELOP the 1ST WORLD ONLINE DATING MARKET instead of concentrating heavily on the US market?
United States/Canada USD600million (English), then Europe USD600million? (different languages), Asia USD500Million? (mostly Chinese and Japanese), Australia and New Zealand USD150million?(English)
A 1ST WORLD global market as big as USD1850million???
United States/Canada USD600million (English)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- == 32.4%
A 1ST WORLD global market as big as USD1850million
Regards,
Fernando Ardenghi.
Buenos Aires.
Argentina.
[email protected]
Posted by: Fernando Ardenghi | Oct 19, 2005 at 11:08 PM
Fernando,
Actually, people outside N. America (defined as the US & Canada), including the other 1st World countries don't have the same consumer "spend spend spend" mentality as is present here (I should have clarified this in my previous post to include other 1st World countries, as well as the 3rd World).
I dispute your contention that "many persons do not pay or do not pay enough because many online dating sites do not have reliability/quality/precision". I would wager that the reason is that they are not as into new things as N. Americans are, and keep their wallets in their back pockets.
Certainly there is a market for singles in places like W. Europe (witness Meetic's recent IPO), but the success there will not be as great as that in N. America.
A clarification: Australia/New Zealand's population is not 150M. It is more like 20M.
As for Asia, e.g. China and Japan - they have completely different cultures from N. America or Europe (as well as from each other). Western style dating is not widespread there. So, any dating sites there will have to figure out how to best serve their needs as their respective cultures define it. Otherwise, they will only be reaching those who are into Western ways.
Posted by: Sam Moorcroft, ChristianCafe.com | Oct 20, 2005 at 01:13 PM
Dear Mr. Moorcroft:
When I write USD means United States Dollars. Of course, I added different portions of the global market in the SAME currency.
When I wrote Australia and New Zealand USD150million? (English) means:
Would the Australia and New Zealand Online Dating Market be as big as USD 150 million? (i.e. 500,000 persons paying USD300 per year, new & renewal subscribers)
The population of Australia and New Zealand are nearly 24,000,000 persons
About the United States market:
Many analysts had said this market entered into saturation. Perhaps it is true as many online dating sites cannot increase conversion rate nor retention time.
According to Census 2000 figures, there are nearly 89.3 million persons singles at the US. If you add net paying subscribers of all U.S. dating sites, perhaps the total is less that 10 million.
There are at least 79.3 million persons waiting for quality at affordable cost. (Perhaps USD 300 first year membership. Note that Offline Chains charges USD1,500 minimum)
Also interesting to read this PPT presentation about how the "U.S. market opportunity remains enormous" said former CEO Tim Sullivan on November 2003. (page 6) at
http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/11/111999/presentations/IAC_Personals.pdf
or
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=111999&p=irol-EventDetails&EventId=804120
(Select Personals)
You said "spend, spend, spend mentality".
I think it should be better to promote "invest, invest and invest time and effort building a new personal/romantic relationship with future in mind"
AND
to DEVELOP the 1ST WORLD ONLINE DATING MARKET instead of concentrating heavily on the US market.
About Chinese Dating Market:
Different from other countries, where women population are nearly 1.15 times the men population (there is always more women than men) Chinese Population will be severe unbalanced until next / for to 20 years. (until 2025) There will be nearly 40 million men more than women!!!!
Regards,
Fernando Ardenghi.
Buenos Aires.
Argentina.
[email protected]
Posted by: Fernando Ardenghi | Oct 20, 2005 at 05:19 PM
There are at least 79.3 million persons waiting for quality at affordable cost.
********
Its called Plentyoffish and its 100% free.
The 89 million singles in the USA is a totally BS number and is only good for investor pr proposes.
That 89 million includes.
1. people currently in relationships.
2. People who can't afford or don't have access to a computer.
3. 4 million single men over fifty-five and 14 million single women (www.suddenlysenior.com/seniorfacts.html)
Take all that into account and you have a potential market of maybe 20 to 30 million not 89 million.
The idea of people paying $300/year on a dating site is a joke, in the future i doubt that paid dating sites will be very large, if they even exist.
In less then a year plentyoffish has gone from next to no marketshare in canada to replacing market leader lavalife. You can view their death spiral here.
http://traffic.alexa.com/graph?w=640&h=480&r=1y&y=t&u=lavalife.com/&u=
Posted by: Markus | Oct 21, 2005 at 03:03 AM
The MUST HAVE marketing theory: Any prospective client must have almost ONE VALID reason to buy a product or pay for a service subscription.
Applying this concept to Online Dating Industry:
Reason #1: PRECIOUS TIME more valuable than MONEY. Nothing is real free!!!
Many persons speak/write about or promote the FREE condition of a dating site; they are only CHEAP CHANNELS for deliver ADS, i.e. infomercial-advertainment companies on the web. When you post your profile to a "FREE dating site" or when you search for compatible real persons, you are spending precious time. TIME that you are paying with your LIFE. If you "quantify" the time you spent in a "FREE dating site", suppose USD5.00/hour x 45 hours (1/2 hour x 3 months) == USD 225.00, USD 75/month!!! It is worth than many SERIOUS dating site's subscription fee!!!!
Reason #2: AVOID BEING HURT IN OWN FEELINGS
A client will pay a fee to create a barrier which will avoid free users, who could hurt other clients' feelings. "If any person does not pay for the service or does not want to pay for the service, he or she is not interested in serious dating, or is not interested in investing time and effort in building a new relationship with future in mind"
Reason #3: AVOID LOW RELIABILITY/ LOW QUALITY CONTACTS
FREE sites / CHEAP sites will disappear soon because most probably Legislation will kill them. Also "free users" will realize/understand that spending time and effort searching low-reliable profiles in "free or cheap dating sites" (a lot of hours contacting persons with low success rate, with low satisfaction index) is more expensive THAN paying a fee (USD300-USD800 ? per year) to a quality contacts provider!
I can smell that by 2008: Quality Norms ISO 9001:2000, Legislation, confidential treatment of information provided (profiles), privacy, code of ethics and background checks (professionalism) will be expected for SERIOUS dating sites.
Regards,
Fernando Ardenghi.
Buenos Aires.
Argentina.
[email protected]
Posted by: Fernando Ardenghi | Oct 21, 2005 at 07:40 PM
Dear Markus:
Most probably the Lavalife's members were saturated/tired and with less interest/energy to search in the database of that site; and most of those tired members decided to migrate fast to a new/fresh free one; like PlentyOfFish. That site received an HERITAGE, but perhaps in less than one year (NOV 2006) the actual PlentyOfFish's members could become saturated/tired and with less interest/energy to search in the database
AND
if a new/fresh/promissory online dating site appears, they could AGAIN decide to suddenly migrate to it. !!??
Also Lavalife's traffic seems to had a suddenly oscillating drop, NOT a "death spiral" because it was not a plane nor a butterfly!!!
Regards,
Fernando Ardenghi.
Buenos Aires.
Argentina.
[email protected]
Posted by: Fernando Ardenghi | Oct 21, 2005 at 08:07 PM
Fernando, I think you are wrong. Free dating sites do not mean cheapskating at all. It's just that people treat free dating sites differently. Some people expect quality dating and matchmaking services and find it ok to pay for contacting others, some people believe it's just faces that matter and try to muddle through all that free dating sites put along (ads and inevitable scam).
People don't get *tired* of dating sites, but they can get disappointed with them. Also, normally daters tend to register on several sites at once.
As for serving a dating site's mission for people, if you are able to find interesting people on a dating site with new ones coming in constantly, if you are able to get a couple of quality dates from there and if you are NOT ultimately pissed off with technical problems, *features* and scam/spam, you will stay there while you are interested in online dating at all.
And I don't think there can be some legislation to kill free dating sites, it sounds ridiculous at least.
Posted by: Emil Sarnogoev, LoveCompass Personals | Oct 22, 2005 at 05:00 AM
I am a very happy member of Match.com My profile can be found under xxGreatCatch4Uxx
I am affiliated with a company that has greated the latest and highest technology in LIVE communication worldwide. I would very much appreciate an opportunity to talk a decision maker in the marketing department asap please. I will then share my concept with you. It is brilliant as well as powerfull and will give Match.com the cutting edge over any other dating site.
You can reach me at 248-668-1682 or my cell 248-939-1842 or of course my e-mailL [email protected]
Regards,
Elke Wilkerson
Posted by: Elke Wilkerson | Jul 13, 2006 at 09:29 PM
i will make sure i get a good wife for my self.
Posted by: moz | Aug 04, 2006 at 04:57 PM
All the girls that have fat boobs can send an email to me.i am a guy that like hot girls.when i mean hot girls,i mean babes that like to play games.If you want to know more about me you can email to me at
[email protected] will be expecting your messages(HOT GIRLS)
[email protected]
Posted by: moziz | Aug 04, 2006 at 05:08 PM
Even though I pointed out to match.com that one of their members is a convicted stalker, and sent them the case number and court site where they can check the information, they have so far done nothing about it and this member is still online. Would some lawyer like to look into that?
Posted by: concerned | Aug 04, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Perhaps stalkers deserve a second chance.
Posted by: Mark Brooks | Aug 04, 2009 at 03:11 PM