鞍山市中华小学特点:Turning Love Into Money In China's Online Dating 正文

Turning Love Into Money In China's Online Dating
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Ready to fall in love with the Chinese Internet sector all over again? One possibility: buying into the romance of online dating.
In parks in Beijing and Shanghai it still is possible to see informal marriage markets: groups of middle-aged parents exchanging vital statistics on the age, education and, crucially, salary, of their unmarried adult children. But for many people, a rapidly changing society means that the old matchmaking systems no longer deliver the goods. For tens of millions of young professionals living in new cities, away from family and friends, and with the pressures of work leaving little time to socialize, online dating is stepping into the gap.
The market is expanding fast. According to Oppenheimer & Co., there were 19 million visitors to Chinese online-dating websites in 2010, only a fraction of the estimated 156 million single adult Internet users. That number is expected to increase to 60 million by 2015.
There are rivals for the hearts and wallets of China's online lovers. Market leader Jiayuan, which claims 44% of sector revenue and is the only listed company in the space, operates a fee-for-results model. Chinese Romeos can view their Juliet's profile for free, but pay a small fee if they want to send them a message. Second- and third-place rivals Zhenai and Baihe require an upfront fee or provide a personality matching service, intended to filter out wastrel Lotharios. Internet consultancy iResearch projects total revenue from China's online dating will expand from an estimated $74 million in 2010 to $290 million in 2015.
One thing all the platforms have in common: an upfront approach to the financial aspects of dating. In 2010, a contestant on a popular TV-dating show shot to notoriety with a cutting rebuke to an impoverished suitor, saying, 'I would sooner cry in a BMW than smile on a bicycle with you.' Income is one of the vital statistics listed on the profile of Jiayuan users, and users can pay a fee to have their dates screened for suitability to their income bracket.
That approach appears to be paying off. In the first quarter of 2011, Jiayuan's net revenue rose 198% year on year, to $10.5 million. Its net income is expected to be $5.2 million this year, putting it on a forward price/earnings multiple of 27. While high, that is nowhere near the stratospheric levels of some Internet firms.
Investors nervous about popping the question might want to see if Jiayuan's revenue surge can be sustained. But with the business of online romance already profitable, and considerable room to expand, there is an opportunity to turn love into money.
Tom Orlik