Dating Service Reviews

+ Day 1 AR (After Review)
I am comfortable that I created a nice profile that should get at least some attention from possible matches.

I have a picture posted that puts me in a great part of the search (Search with pictures selected*), I have engaging comments in my profile and, the best part, I have a headline that screams “Look at me!”.

Today I did receive more interest in my profile, sadly the lady is one country and several thousand miles form me.

Now, if I was pro-active and searching for members near me (which I did on occasion) I would have literally hundreds of women within a 300 km radius to choose from. Not bad considering the largest town close to me is of about 80,000 people.

The “Top Matches” email I received this morning contained 12 ladies that are very nice to the eyes (it seems that only profiles with pictures are emailed as “Top Matches”) but again thousands of miles from me. I did change my search results to include only women that are quite a bit closer to me, so this is an odd match email, I think.

Day 8
I no longer log in to Match.com with the handle “RguyRtime”.

I did manage to change the email notifications I receive, to receive all of them, and this morning I did receive a “Match by Mail” newsletter, unfortunately, despite the changes I made to my profile settings, these 12 matches are a long way from where I live, and in America too, (I am in Canada).

Any further reviews of Match Personals will be done with a different login.
Let’s see how long it takes for “RguyRtime” to be taken out of view of other members.

Day 7
Today is the last day that I will be updating my Match.com profile.
I have updated it for each of the past 6 days and have received over the past week 12 views of my profile and one message.

Today I am in the “Member Spotlight” which is a random picking of your profile that puts you on the homer page of Match.com and it’s partner websites. Think of this as a great reward for being vigilant in having a complete profile and a nice picture. The picture, of course, should be a upper body or a head and shoulders picture of only you. I will expect more profile visits and messages with this sudden added visibility of my profile. When you are picked for the “Member Spotlight” this is brought to your attention by a note under your “Edit Profile” and “Visibility Options”. Of course, you can opt out of being in the “Member Spotlight” but I wouldn’t do that. And, you can be a free member to receive this honor.

Today I also received a new email of “Member Matches” to my profile. Photos and links to profiles of more women that are very far away from me. The closest if about a 6 hour drive. I wish Match.com could do better on this, or is it a setting that I must change.

Yes, this matches can be a “Mutual” or a “Reverse” match as well as results from a “Saved Search”, I had selected none of these options so I received profiles and pictures of members that scored high on the “Match” to my profile. Changing these settings by going to the “Match By Mail” option in your “Account Settings” will make a good difference in the matches that are sent. You can also have these matches sent to you every day, 3 times a weeks, or weekly. A nice choice of delivery times, good for you Match.com.

This is the final day of my “Live Review” of Match.com. After today I will not be editing or changing my profile at all. Now it is up to you. Find me, search for “RguyRtime” and let’s see how long my profile remains available at Match.com. Any comments about Match.com will be from a different member account as I spot check up on the changes to Match.com.

Current Member Pricing at Match.com
As of July 6 2009 memberships cost ($CDN funds, prices will likely vary where you are):
6 month membership charged at $16.99 per month
6 month membership charged at $17.99 includes upgraded visibility throughout Match.com
3 month membership at $19.99 per month
1 month membership at $34.99 per month
NOTE: both 6 month memberships are charged in full when you sign up and include the 6 month “Love Guarantee” so if you don’t find love in 6 months you receive another 6 month membership free.
Also, each monthly membership renews at your current price automatically unless you contact Match.com and unsubscribe within a certain number if days before you are billed. No refunds.

Matchmobile is currently free and when you sign up you will be sent email matches, winks, messages and you can search all on your mobile phone. Carrier charges may apply. Pricing may change depending on time, location and current Match.com service rates.

Match.com has sent me another 2 email messages:
1. I have received another profile “look” meaning someone looked at my profile page, and;
2. I have received a “newest matches” email of women that match my profile. Sadly, out of the 12 “matches” none are within 500 miles of me. Bummer. I’m pretty certain that I want matches close enough to date in person, but I’ll have to check my profile to see if that is a specific option.

Overall, still happy with the service, I will spring for a month’s membership to see what the full features look like and how they work, instead of just a free member’s look at Match.com. I suggest you do the same.

Day 5
Today I received two emails from Match.com. The first one was for a match of someone more than 350 miles from me. The second is the “Love Guarantee” offer that provides an additional 6 month membership if you don’t find love within your first 6 month membership.

Special note: for the “Love Guarantee” you do need to have originally subscribed for 6 months.

My profile has been viewed 9 times so far.

Day 4
I updated my profile today, and I received a new newsletter emailed to me of new matches.
So far 7 people have viewed my profile but no winks or emails have been sent to me.
I discovered, by chance I think, that the allowed length of your profile headline is 32 characters and if you click the “See how your own profile show sup in search results, the length is only 22 characters. Likely no significance, but it is a quirk. (Click on ‘Profile’ then under the ‘View Your Profile’ click on the ‘in search results.)

It is true that as you continue to update your profile your account is “fresher” so you are listed higher in the search results but to make this work significantly for better you need to be a subscriber so your profile is listed ahead of all the other free members.