The Strategy Puzzle of Subscription-Based Dating Sites


For centuries, matchmaking was mostly left in the hands of parents and older relatives. During most of the 20th century, Americans chiefly relied on friends – and to a lesser extent family and even coworkers – to meet their significant other. Computer-assisted matching started as early as 1959, but the biggest shift occurred in the mid-1990s, with the birth of the first online dating websites. Now there is no turning back: Matchmaking and online dating has become a $2.5 billion dollar industry, and about 25% of U.S. couples now meet on the internet.

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Do's and don'ts for profile pictures on dating sites

Like male peacocks showing off their magnificent plumage to attract a mate, some men on dating sites post topless mirror gym selfies. Not such a good idea, according to dating experts. Women, they say, tend to swipe left when they see gym selfies. Likewise, dating sites are full of women's selfies taken from an elevated vantage point, highlighting their cleavage.

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