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Think about it: If a dating app would've worked perfectly, they had no customers. They would "just" match one half to the world to the other and done. But since

Think about it: If a dating app would've worked perfectly, they had no customers. They would "just" match one half to the world to the other and done. But since we're such complicated creatures, this app is still thriving.

isaacfrond 4y ago
I thank my lucky stars that I have no need of dating apps. But, were the star's alignment ever to change, I'm guessing that you'd be best of with a paid-for, 'serious', app like eHarmony, or OKCupid, right?
- indigochill 4y ago
  I've had mixed experiences with OKC. On one hand it got me a handful of dates while I was looking locally in the states. On the other hand, I moved to Iceland and their international search options go from "Everyone within 500 miles" to "The entire world, with no ability to filter by country" and those options just don't work in Iceland (unless you match with someone in Reykjavik, maybe). TBF, I did still connect with a couple people even with those options, but that's more because I pulled the slot machine lever enough than a credit to them. I wish they had better international options, even if they were locked behind the paid tier. IIRC eHarmony didn't work either because it didn't even acknowledge Iceland as a place you could be, so I guess OKC has that leg up on them at least.
  - karatinversion 4y ago
    I’m curious what you think a good behaviour would have been? I’ve never used dating apps, but it seems to me that once you move to an island with the population of Cleveland, Ohio, your dating pool is limited to that island…
    - indigochill 4y ago
      Mostly yes, but my two most successful dating relationships (both met on OKC!) while on said island were long-distance. So not exclusively. Mostly I'd like the ability to signal to the algorithm "I'm willing to consider relocating to these particular places if I meet someone who lives there."
mdorazio 4y ago
I think you're naively assuming that the goal of the users is to find a long-term partner. Among younger users, especially younger men, the goal is to find dates for short-term relationships / sex. It's one of the reasons Tinder caught on with younger users a lot more than previous dating sites did.
- FeistySkink 4y ago
  Is there any data to back those claims?
  - mdorazio 4y ago
    I'm genuinely surprised you need data for this, but here you go: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/close-encounters/201706/is-tinder-really-hookup-app https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/close-encounters/201...
    - isthisthingon99 4y ago
      From your article... > As can be seen in the table, using the app for casual sex and hookups was actually less common than these other motives.
  - NullPrefix 4y ago
    You mean apart from the fact that it's a hook-up app, unlike Hinge
    - aaaaaaaaata 4y ago
      See, that's the best part — they "pivoted" and their messaging has nothing to do with how they launched.
      - NullPrefix 4y ago
        You mean Tinder is a born again trad long term partner now?
shin_lao 4y ago
There's an endless supply of people looking for a mate.
lordnacho 4y ago
It's not that simple, people naturally come into the dating pool regardless, either from coming of age, divorce, death, etc.

isaacfrond 4y ago

I thank my lucky stars that I have no need of dating apps. But, were the star's alignment ever to change, I'm guessing that you'd be best of with a paid-for, 'serious', app like eHarmony, or OKCupid, right?

indigochill 4y ago
I've had mixed experiences with OKC. On one hand it got me a handful of dates while I was looking locally in the states. On the other hand, I moved to Iceland and their international search options go from "Everyone within 500 miles" to "The entire world, with no ability to filter by country" and those options just don't work in Iceland (unless you match with someone in Reykjavik, maybe). TBF, I did still connect with a couple people even with those options, but that's more because I pulled the slot machine lever enough than a credit to them. I wish they had better international options, even if they were locked behind the paid tier. IIRC eHarmony didn't work either because it didn't even acknowledge Iceland as a place you could be, so I guess OKC has that leg up on them at least.
- karatinversion 4y ago
  I’m curious what you think a good behaviour would have been? I’ve never used dating apps, but it seems to me that once you move to an island with the population of Cleveland, Ohio, your dating pool is limited to that island…
  - indigochill 4y ago
    Mostly yes, but my two most successful dating relationships (both met on OKC!) while on said island were long-distance. So not exclusively. Mostly I'd like the ability to signal to the algorithm "I'm willing to consider relocating to these particular places if I meet someone who lives there."

mdorazio 4y ago

I think you're naively assuming that the goal of the users is to find a long-term partner. Among younger users, especially younger men, the goal is to find dates for short-term relationships / sex. It's one of the reasons Tinder caught on with younger users a lot more than previous dating sites did.

FeistySkink 4y ago
Is there any data to back those claims?
- mdorazio 4y ago
  I'm genuinely surprised you need data for this, but here you go: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/close-encounters/201706/is-tinder-really-hookup-app https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/close-encounters/201...
  - isthisthingon99 4y ago
    From your article... > As can be seen in the table, using the app for casual sex and hookups was actually less common than these other motives.
- NullPrefix 4y ago
  You mean apart from the fact that it's a hook-up app, unlike Hinge
  - aaaaaaaaata 4y ago
    See, that's the best part — they "pivoted" and their messaging has nothing to do with how they launched.
    - NullPrefix 4y ago
      You mean Tinder is a born again trad long term partner now?

shin_lao 4y ago

There's an endless supply of people looking for a mate.

lordnacho 4y ago

It's not that simple, people naturally come into the dating pool regardless, either from coming of age, divorce, death, etc.