Eharmony Introduction

Posted on 6/15/202222.08.2017by admin

EHarmony, American company providing online personal-relationship and matchmaking services. Founded in 2000 by Neil Clark Warren, a clinical psychologist, eHarmony is based in Pasadena, Calif. The company aims to unite compatible individuals in long-term relationships via scientific methods. After signing up with the service, a user completes a. Aug 09, 2006 eHarmony Homepage. Bringing science to online matchmaking. Although there are more than 3,000 online dating and introduction services competing to match up computer-savvy singles, Dr. Warren’s eHarmony.com is the only service in the United States designed and operated by a psychologist. In addition to a Ph.D. In clinical psychology from the.

Segmentation Success: A Dating Web Site for Women

When it was launched in 2000, eHarmony quickly made its mark as a new brand and new category in the online dating landscape: a dating site for the serious relationship seeker, particularly women. By focusing on women as its target segment, eHarmony made wise, profitable choices about its product and user experience to address this group’s unique needs.

eHarmony entered an online market dominated by two well-established brands, Match.com and Yahoo, and it seemed to violate all the standard practices and conventional wisdom of the industry at the time. Unlike other dating sites, eHarmony decided not to allow users to search and browse their Web site for potential mates. Instead, it requires participants to complete an exhaustive questionnaire before they can receive any information about prospective suitors.

This process creates a much better user experience for eHarmony’s target demographic in a couple ways. First, women don’t feel like they are being judged solely on their looks. They perceive that they are being matched according to a complex array of compatibility criteria—not just superficial markers like age or income. Second, the entire eHarmony process is very time-consuming. It takes at least forty minutes to fill out the initial questionnaire, and users must court their potential mates through a series of essay questions and then write reviews of any contenders. By making the process so time-consuming, eHarmony has the natural effect of weeding out non-serious users and helping women to feel less vulnerable. This makes the product much better for the serious female relationship seeker who doesn’t want to waste time on or take a chance with casual dating.

In the following eHarmony ad, notice how the company differentiates itself from competitors:

The result of creating a product suited to women seeking marriage or long-term relationships has had two huge financial benefits for eHarmony. First, they can charge much more and enjoy much better margins than competitors. Because the customer perceives more value in being matched with a “soul mate” than in just being helped to “find a date,” eHarmony is able to charge more than other dating sites ($50 per month versus $20 per month). Second, eHarmony is able to generate revenue from women users much more effectively than other dating sites (many of which make most of their money on men): almost 60% of eHarmony’s paying users are women.

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Membership

Members on eHarmony are typically looking for long-term relationships. To join, users must fill out a comprehensive questionnaire. eHarmony conducts all searches for its members – users don't have the option of searching or browsing profiles themselves. Members communicate through the website. eHarmony generates matches based on a compatibility test and profile criteria that members fill out. The site sends email alerts when new matches are found.

Members on Match are looking for dates, hook-ups and long-term relationships. Match leaves the search up to the individual members. New users create a profile and enter search criteria. The site matches them to other members based on these criteria. However, members also have the option of conducting searches on their own based on search filters. For communication, members may 'wink' at others, email or IM.

Profiles

eHarmony profiles include basics, such as age, height, hair color, eye color, body type and ethnicity. Profiles also include relationship history, whether the member has children, whether they smoke or drink and their location. Members may add up to 12 photos. Members also answer questions to show their personality, choose must-have values and choose activities and interests. eHarmony profiles also include information from their '29 Dimensions of Compatibility Test.' While the main site is not open to the LGBT population, eHarmony refers them to a companion site, Compatible Partners.

Match is open to the LGBT community. Match profiles include basics, such as age, height, hair color, eye color, body type and ethnicity. Profiles also include sexual orientation, relationship status, whether the member has children, whether they smoke or drink, and their location. Members write an open-ended essay about themselves and their match. Profiles may include interests, exercise habits, hobbies, political views, education, faith, background values, and whether the member has or even likes pets. Users may add up to 26 photos and even import photos from Facebook.

Communication restrictions

While it is free for new users on eHarmony to view their matches, they must sign up for one of the paid plans to initiate contact wtih other members. Members have the potential to decline a match, meaning all contact stops.

Match.com also offers free viewing of matches, but new users must sign up for a paid plan to email or IM other members. They may 'wink' at members, but even paying members may not contact them until they've signed up for a membership. Like eHarmony, Match allows members to block other members from contacting them.

Matching Algorithm

eHarmony uses what it calls '29 dimensions of compatibility' based on a compatibility test. The algorithm looks at core traits such as emotional temperament, social style, cognitive mode and physicality. It also looks at vital attributes such as relationship skills, values and beliefs and key experiences. eHarmony makes matches based on this compatibility test and profile criteria members fill out. The site sends email alerts when new matches are found.

Match also offers some services for matching but the search and browse features are more popular on Match.com. Members may conduct a quick search based on age, location, keywords found in profiles, photos and whether members are currently online. Their custom searches include many options, such as appearance, interests, background, values and lifestyle. Another feature is the Date Spark Search. Members come up with an idea for a date and search for others' date ideas. Match also has some other matching criteria:

The Mutual Match algorithm is based on user profiles. Mutual Match ensures that both parties are looking for a specific type of person.
Reverse Match shows results for members who are looking for someone who is like them.
Synapse Matching is based on user personalities, preferences and on-site actions. Members receive five matches each day using Match's Synapse Matching algorithm.
Match also has Singled Out Matches, that shows members someone who really stands out as a match for them.

Price and Operating Model

Both eHarmony and Match offer a number of pricing plans, and renewal is automatic. Members must cancel if they don't want to renew. With both, some members have complained of being auto-renewed even after canceling the membership.

eHarmony Pricing

eHarmony offers the most options for price and services with their Basic, Total Connect and Premium Plans. eHarmony members also have the option of purchasing a Basic Plan and adding other services. They can add other services to their subscription such as:

Secure Call for $5.95/month: allows members to call their matches on the phone anonymously without revealing their own phone number.
RelyID for $5.95/year: The RelyID badge on a member's profile indicates that eHarmony has verified his or her name, age and city of residence.
Premier Personality Profile for a onetime fee of $19.99 and
Profile Advisor for a onetime fee of $99.95.

Basic Plan

The Basic Plan offers full access to the dating website plus the 29-point compatibility matching. Its pricing structure:

1 Month: $59.95 per month.
3 Month: $29.95 per month; must be paid in one full payment of $89.85
6 Month: $29.90 per month; can be paid in 3 installments of $59.80 each, or $179.40 in full.
12 Month: $19.95 per month; can be paid in 3 installments of $79.80 each, or $239.40 in full.

Total Connect Plan

The Total Connect Plan offers the same services as the Basic Plan plus a deeper analysis of users' personalities, the Secure Call feature which allows anonymous phone calling and the Rely ID feature which verifies name, and age for purposes of honesty.

3 Month: $44.95 per month; can be paid in 3 installments of $44.95 each, or $134.85 in full.
6 Month: $33.90 per month; can be paid in 3 installments of $67.90 each, or $203.70 in full.
12 Month: $23.95 per month; can be paid in 3 installments of $95.80 each, or $287.40 in full.

Premier Plan

eHarmony's Premier Plan offers everything from the Total Connect Plan plus an 'Ultimate Guarantee' that if users don't find a match in first year, they get another year free. The Premier Plan also includes personalized help from a profile advisor. Premier Plans are for 12 months at $41.95 a month or a single payment of $503.40.

Match.com

Match offers two plans: Standard and Best Value.

Standard Plan

Standard Plan users can view members, contact members and read email from members. The Standard Plan costs $35.99 a month, $19.99 a month with a three-month commitment and $17.99 a month with a six-month commitment.

Best Value Plan

Match's Best Value Plan offers the same features as the Standard Plan, plus a highlighted profile and 'first impressions' services. The 6-month plan comes with the 'Match.com Guarantee,' meaning if users don't find someone in the first six months, the next six months are free. The Best Value Plan costs $23.99 a month with a three-month commitment and $19.99 a month with a six-month commitment.

Dating Categories Available

Both eHarmony and Match have several dating categories available. eHarmony allows users to specify according to the following within the site:

Asian Dating
Black Dating
Christian Dating
Senior Dating
Jewish Dating
Hispanic Dating
Compatible Partners
International Dating

In addition to offering Yahoo Personals and Match Personals to its members, Match allows users to specify according to the following categories:

50+ Dating
Black Dating
Single Parents
Christian Dating
Jewish Dating
Asian Dating
Gay Dating
Lesbian Dating

Statistics

Both eHarmony and Match offer their own statistics. eHarmony promotes that its site is responsible for 5 percent of all U.S. marriages. Of couples who met on a dating site then married, 25 percent met on eHarmony. Of marriages that started on a dating site, 3.86 percent of eHarmony's result in divorce, the lowest percentage of all sites.

Match promotes that one date in 1,369 leads to marriage. Of couples who met on a dating site, 30 percent met on Match. 42% of the matches result in dates, and 35% of the matches result in relationships of three or more months.

Member Demographics

By Age

eHarmony has 15,500,000 members, 47% men and 53% women. Concerning age range, the members fall into the following demographics:

18 to 24 – 30%
25 to 34 – 18%
35 to 44 – 20%
45 to 54 – 18%
Over 55 – 14%

Match has 21,575,000 members, 49% men and 51% women. Concerning age range, the members fall into the following demographics: