Dating Site Offers Services For Married Couples (Not What You Think)

from the and-if-it-fails...-they-know-where-to-go dept

The various dating sites keep looking for ways to expand and stand out from all of the competition. In the past, we've even pointed to sites that focus on other aspects of relationships, such as finding the right wingman for helping you pick up people when heading out to bars or parties. No matter what, though, one potential "problem" for dating sites is that if they're really successful, their customers go away. So, perhaps it's no surprise that one dating site is trying to expand its services for married couples, offering a "marriage tuneup" that involves getting both halves of the couple to answer some questions -- and providing an analysis of the relationship and ways to improve it. To be honest, this sounds like a poor substitute for real counseling for those who need it. However, on the plus side for the company (and don't think they haven't thought of this), if the tuneups don't work out... the split couple knows where to go to look for new dates.
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  1. identicon
    Compujas, 9 Feb 2006 @ 4:54am

    Why would I?

    Now why would they expect me to use their dating site to find a new significant other after they broke up my marriage? It's kind of like buying a new car from the mechanic that broke my old one.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Mark, 9 Feb 2006 @ 5:07am

    Re: Why would I?

    Not much of a marriage if an online dating service can break it up with just a questionaire.

    Seems like a better analogy would be that you broke your car and the machanic says it can't be fixed, then you buy a car from the mechanic.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Jared Anderson, 9 Feb 2006 @ 6:23am

    Re: Why would I?

    HAHA effin people now a days taking questionaires so see how their marriage is going.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2006 @ 7:42am

    Re: Why would I?

    quote"by Compujas on Thursday, February 9th, 2006 @ 04:54AM
    Now why would they expect me to use their dating site to find a new significant other after they broke up my marriage? It's kind of like buying a new car from the mechanic that broke my old one."

    why were you visiting an dating site if you were already married?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    matt, 9 Feb 2006 @ 8:06am

    Interesting approach to online dating

    Interesting approach to online dating. Can I unabashedly share another novel approach to online dating. As a computer programmer and online dater, I created an online dating site that welcomes those already in relationships. Rather than counseling to the already married as the site you write about, my site, lifeknot.com, creates an online community where the focus is finding people with whom users share activity interests, permitting relationships to develop more naturally.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Denfro.Licious, 9 Feb 2006 @ 8:14am

    hmm

    Yea let me answer a few questions and find out if my marriage will be successful or not. What's the ratio now like 1 in 30 people will find the right person? I think online dating is a load of you know what.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. icon
    ConceptJunkie (profile), 9 Feb 2006 @ 8:49am

    Re: Interesting approach to online dating

    where the focus is finding people with whom users share activity interests, permitting relationships to develop more naturally

    To me, this is the only way that is going to have any chance of success, unless you are _very_ _very_ average. I'd tried dating services a bit in the late 80's/early 90's and it was a complete bust (largely because there's about a 10:1 male to female ratio, which bites if you're a male). I had much better success meeting nice women at the church group activities... and I'm all-around nerd who does not have a lot of popular interests or non-esoteric interests.

    Still after 13 years of being happily married to a wonderful young lady with whom I am still very much infatuated, I can say it worked for me. This was not a "dating" group or anything like that, in fact, I was primarily involved in the Bible study rather than the more social activities like dances or bowling, etc. Still, the "common interests" aspect of it in addition to the more low-key social interaction (you're not there solely to meet potential mates, even if that's your goal), makes it much better environment. Of course, I'm not typical, so YMMV.

    So, I would say your idea is a great one. Good luck!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    Jesse, 9 Feb 2006 @ 9:10am

    dating site

    if you need a dating site to help you with your marriage i'd say you are already doomed. sounds like they are trying to lure married people to the site because i bet that's one of their best customer demographics!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    Don Thornhill, 9 Feb 2006 @ 9:33am

    if they are good it might work

    If the company has a good understanding of relationships, which they should be if they are going to do a good job of match making, then it might actually work. Besides, many people in the dating scene are divorced and may be interested in a service that not only facilitates bringing people together, but also helping them stay together. A dating service that offers "support after the sale" may actually help new couple avoid the pitfalls that trip up so many marriages. I think it is a good idea, provided they are themselves qualified to offer relationship advice.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    haggie, 9 Feb 2006 @ 12:54pm

    No Subject Given

    I wonder how many people will go to eharmony.com for information about the "tune-up" but end up using the service to start an affair that will, eventually, be the reason that marriage ends.

    It's like having a shared waiting room for a marriage counselor and a dating service. You KNOW that no good will come of that...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2006 @ 3:36pm

    Re: No Subject Given

    Doesn't the dating site have an incentive to exagerrate how bad the marriage is, leading to a divorce, resulting in two more potential clients?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    datingsite.org, 27 Oct 2010 @ 11:39am

    Nice strategy

    I often write on similar topics on my blog but I never thought that once I engage people using marriage advice later they could come back for dating advice if their marriage didn't work out. I'd look at that more like a failure on my part to advice them what to do. And as such, that shouldn't be a reason for them to come back for more. I'd apply this to that dating site as well. If they failed to help their visitors the first time what would motivate them to come back?

    link to this | view in thread ]


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