perfectmatch.com

Perfectmatch.com is an online dating and relationship service based in Seattle, Washington. The company offers what it calls the "Duet Total Compatibility System (Duet)", co-developed by Dr. Pepper Schwartz. Duet is modeled after the Myers-Briggs test.[1]

Perfectmatch.com
TypePrivate
FoundedAugust 2003 (2003-08)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
HeadquartersSeattle, Washington, U.S.
Websiteperfectmatch.com

History

Perfectmatch.com is venture capital funded[2] and was founded in August 2003. It was created and is managed by Duane Dahl, Cindy Henry-Dahl, and Jason McVey who previously built and managed Kiss.com/uDate.com to over seven million members.[3] Kiss.com/uDate was sold to InterActiveCorp (Match.com) in 2002.[4]

Since 2003, Perfectmatch has partnered with the entertainment industry to build the Perfectmatch brand in a non-traditional manner. For example, they have partnered with iVillage, MSNBC, Oxygen Networks, Warner Bros. and NBC Universal Studios and many others.[5] The company has also been prominently featured in these entertainment-related shows or events:

The Retirement Living Television series "Another Chance for Romance" in February 2008. Hosted by Roger Lodge, the segments also featured commentary by Dr. Pepper Schwartz, utilized the Duet Total Compatibility System, and included numerous Southern California-area members of Perfectmatch.com, all of whom paired up on blind dates using the Duet System.[6]

In August 2007, Commission Junction published an Advertisers Case Study about Perfectmatch.com discussing how affiliate sales increased by 300 percent.[7]

The NBC Television special in June 2007 called "The Science of Love: A Modern Dating Experiment".[8] Dr. Pepper Schwartz and the Duet Total Compatibility System were also featured.

The 2005 Warner Bros. film, Must Love Dogs, which starred Diane Lane and John Cusack as a couple who met on Perfectmatch.com.[9]

The company reports that an entire Valentine's special Dr. Phil Show broadcast on February 11, 2005, resulted in 207,000 women joining their site that day.[10]

In October 2005, Perfectmatch served as the online dating service working with Live with Regis and Kelly in their efforts to assist show Production Coordinator, Lori Schulweis, during her two-week search to find her own perfect match.[11]

Perfectmatch partnered with CBS in late 2005 to kick off the first season of How I Met Your Mother by creating a matching game of the shows characters based on the Duet Total Compatibility System and helping to stage a dating/social event in New York City at Grand Central.[12]

Perfectmatch was the backdrop of the Lifetime Original teleplay, Perfect Romance, featuring Kathleen Quinlan, Henry Ian Cusick, and Lori Heuring. Perfect Romance originally aired in June 2004 and continues to be aired routinely.

Perfectmatch was also shown in the film Paul Blart: Mall Cop.

PerfectMatch was also shown in the 2007 film, Good Luck Chuck, featuring Jessica Alba and Dane Cook. Some young lady posts on PerfectMatch that anyone sleeping with (Lucky Charm) Dentist Charlie Logan will find their soul mate and marry the next person they date.

According to Perfectmatch's website, "After a great run, Perfectmatch.com is saying goodbye for good." [13]

Duet Total Compatibility System

The Duet Total Compatibility System analyzes and takes into account each member's personality, values and ideals, life and lovestyle and preferences to identify and help them find the person right for them.[14] The company claims that "Duet is a unique and proprietary system that enables Perfectmatch to provide both the best online capabilities and member experience to those seeking a real love, a relationship or marriage."[15]

The Duet Total Compatibility System was written and developed by Schwartz and the Perfectmatch.com team. Duet does not match people only on similar character traits, but complementary traits of two potential partners.

In January 2006, Schwartz published the book Finding Your Perfect Match (Penguin) based upon the Duet Total Compatibility System.[16] According to Amazon.com, as of September 27, 2007, the book "helps readers identify the eight specific personality characteristics that they need to understand about themselves-and others. And the Duet(tm) Total Compatibility System, a sophisticated yet easy-to-follow series of self-tests that have helped thousands of people in their search for love, gives them an intimate and honest appraisal of who they are, what they want, and ultimately, who they should be with.

This approach not only helps reveal each person's unique romantic profile, but also identifies five major lifestyle issues that can have a dramatic impact on the long-term success of their relationships: money, sex, children, core values, and social life. Readers will also be able to uncover the deal-breakers, to identify their strengths and weaknesses, and to determine whether someone is a potential match before getting deeply involved."

The test for the Duet Total Compatibility System is broken into specific testing areas: similarity and complementary.[17] When scores from these two areas are combined, they give a member a description of and an explanation of their personality type.

Similarity A set of true-or-false questions addressing romantic impulsivity, personal energy, outlook, and predictability.

Complementary A set of true or false questions addressing flexibility, decision-making style, emotionality, and self-nurturing.

Claims

Perfectmatch consciously avoids attracting members interested only in casual dating.[18] Perfectmatch has seen an increased level of membership in the 50+ demographic.[19] Perfectmatch.com allows same sex matches on their site.[20]

Criticism

In 2006, Perfectmatch.com was stung with controversy over complaints about poor service and failure to respond to refund requests. The Washington State Attorney General's office collected 18 complaints were filed with the Better Business Bureau from 2002 to 2006.[21] and about 30 complaints[21]

References
  1. The Atlantic Monthly article on "How Do I Love Thee?". (http://www.perfectmatch.com/aboutus/Atlantic%20Monthly.pdf) Published March 2006. Downloaded 09/11/07.
  2. Web 2.0: The Next Generation - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
  3. Official Perfectmatch.com Management Team Bios (http://www.perfectmatch.com/aboutus/team.asp)
  4. Online Dating Magazine article about USA Interactive to Acquire uDate.com and Kiss.com. (http://www.onlinedatingmagazine.com/news2003/udatekissacquired.html) Published December 19, 2002. Downloaded 09/11/07.
  5. Brand Week article about Perfectmatch.com Gets Serious about the company’s investment in more television advertising. (http://www.brandweek.com/bw/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003019847) Published August 21, 2006. Downloaded 09/11/07.
  6. “Another Chance for Romance” "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-04-29. Retrieved 2008-02-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. “Perfectmatch.com Commits to CJ Associate and Increases Affiliate Sales by 300 Percent” http://www.commissionjunction.com/advertisers/casestudy_perfectmatch.html
  8. Access Hollywood segment about NBC “Science of Love: A Modern Dating Experiment” televised (http://www.accesshollywood.com/) June 25, 2007. Video file. Downloaded June 27, 2007.
  9. Advertising Age / Madison + Vine article about Must Love Dogs' Becomes Product Placement Bonanza: Perfectmatch.com Written Into Script as Major Plot Element (http://adage.com/results?search_offset=0&search_order_by=score&search_phrase=Perfectmatch.com) Published July 12, 2005. Downloaded July 25, 2005.
  10. Advertising Age / Madison + Vine article about Perfectmatch.com Scores Brand Integration Bonanza with One-Hour Product Placement (http://adage.com/results?search_offset=0&search_order_by=score&search_phrase=Perfectmatch.com) Published March 30, 2005. Downloaded September 11, 2007.
  11. Perfectmatch press release announcing (http://www.marketrange.com/Press/press.asp#) PerfectMatch.com Serves As Online Partner for Live with Regis and Kelly's "Project Schulweis Published October 18, 2005.
  12. Entertainment Weekly News + Notes Section "How I Met Your Mother" actors Alyson Hannigan and Josh Segel at Perfectmatch.com speed dating event at Grand Central Station (http://www.ew.com/ew) Published October 14, 2005. Downloaded October 16, 2005.
  13. http://www.perfectmatch.com
  14. Perfectmatch press release announcing (http://www.marketrange.com/Press/press.asp#) Perfectmatch.com Launches Duet Analysis Profile Published April 24, 2006.
  15. The Atlantic Monthly in-depth review of Perfectmatch.com “How Do I Love Thee?” (https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200603/online-love) Published March 2006. Downloaded March 2006.
  16. Book description appearing on Amazon.com. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0399532447/ Downloaded September 27, 2007.
  17. Official Perfectmatch.com Website (http://www.perfectmatch.com)
  18. The Puget Sound Business Journal article Dating Site Snares Big Cash Infusion. (http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2004/08/30/story4.html) Published August 27, 2004. Downloaded September 11, 2007.
  19. Perfectmatch press release announcing (http://www.marketrange.com/Press/press.asp#) How the 50+ Generation is Learning to Find Their Perfect Match Published January 25, 2006.
  20. The Dating Weblog Interview by Mark Brooks with Duane Dahl (http://www.dating-weblog.com/50226711/exclusive_interview_4_perfectmatchs_ceo.php) taken on June 1, 2005. Downloaded September 11, 2007.
  21. The Seattle Times: Local News: Some feel wronged by dating service
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