Love actually...virtually

AFTER trying to find Mr Right on general online dating sites like Match.com for more than a year, designer Michelle Chan decided to go one step further.
The 29-year-old went to niche dating portal AnimalAttraction.com six months ago. There, she met another dog lover, a 33-year-old architect, and they dated for three months.
But long-term love was not to be.
Michelle felt that he was too canine-centric: they kept spending time with the dogs, frequenting mostly dog-friendly places. "Sometimes, all I want to do is go to the movies, instead of taking the dogs to the beach all the time," said Michelle.
But for 27-year-old Kiersten, a Catholic, love found online at niche site AveMariaSingles.com led to a walk down the aisle.
She said: "When I joined the site, I had a clear picture of the kind of man I was looking for. I was seeking someone who loves God and will make Him the centre of our family.
"A few days later, I received an e-mail from Ross; his strong Catholic values were what I was looking for."
The couple tied the knot in May this year, after one year of courtship.
Whatever the result, people who have zeroed in on niche sites find that the legwork is much easier because these sites have done the homework for them.
"Niche sites are great when you know precisely what sort of partner you want. Such sites let you zoom in on people with specific interests that you are looking for. It is easier to find a partner that way," said Michelle.
She has been using dating sites for more than a year, and has gone on five "successful" dates as a result. Out of the five, two were from niche portal, AnimalAttraction.com.
Mark Brooks, a consultant who provides dating advice at OnlinePersonalsWatch.com, said: "Singles are eager to use niche sites. It's the same reason why Procter & Gamble makes so many detergents. We are drawn to things that cater to our specific desires." Online dating a big business
GIVEN the wide number of specific desires, there are currently 400 niche sites, said Mark.
Which means practically all interests are catered for - from the esoteric to the garden variety, literally even.
For instance, if you prefer dating vegetable growers or have a fetish for farmer boys, go to VeggieLove.com or FarmersOnly.com.
Obsessed with looks? DarwinDating.com bans members with acne and fat rolls. BbwCupid.com offers the love potion for plus-sized singles.
While online dating is no longer novel, it is big business.
To be sure, niche dating sites have contributed to the overall growth of the get-hitched-online business. The 400 niche sites make up 44 per cent of the total number of dating portals around - up from 35 per cent in 2006.
Already, Nielsen Global Online Study noted that sites that cater to affairs of the heart are often on the hotlist, with 25 per cent of Internet users looking for love online and 5 per cent checking dating sites daily.
Hitwise, an Internet analysis company noted that there are now 1,378 dating sites - up from 876 three years ago.
Experts estimate that the global online dating market is worth a whopping $1.75 billion , up from $1.25billion in 2006.
Finding love is cheaper online
BRICK-AND-MORTAR matchmaking agencies charge between $50 and $200 monthly.
For general dating sites, most are free-of-charge because they earn from advertisements rather than monthly fees from clients.
Niche sites usually require members to pay anything from $20 to $70 per month, citing high success rates in bringing love birds together.
For one, AveMariaSingles.com claims that it has had a hand in more than 800 marriages since 1998.
At either niche or general dating sites, users simply sign up to be a member, fill up personal details and state the qualities they are looking for in an ideal partner. Anything from their partner's eye colour to favourite movie can be specified.
Your personal interests will then be published on your profile page and the site will match your interests with those of other members.
There are risks involved
HOWEVER, if love is blind in real life, it may be even more blind online.
Experts caution against fools rushing in. Certainly, there may be more than heart breaks from relationships that don't work out.
Online dating advisory website RomanceScams.org, for instance, reported that 250 of its members lost a total of US$2.2 million (S$3 million) - or some US$9,000 per person - as a result of their being cheated by online suitors.
Naturally, online dating has its fair share of naysayers.
Said Chia Xi Men, 23, an undergraduate: "My mother thinks that online dating is for middle-aged people who can't get married."
The stigma is fading though.
A 2006 study by Pew Internet Project, a research initiative that explores the impact of the Internet on users, shows that only 29 per cent of the interviewees saw online dating website users as desperate, while 61 per cent disagreed with that label.
According to Xi Men: "When I told my friends about my successes, five of them also signed up. So it's common for young people to use dating sites now."This article was first published in Digital Life, The Straits Times on 29 July 2008.