JDaters Pay Beverly Hills Rates to Belong to the Club
January 23rd, 2007 by Charla
Any JDaters out there? I’d like to hear your JDate stories, because love it or hate it, JDate is one of the most successful niche dating sites.
May I just say that I love JDate and I hate JDate, almost equally. I love the scale of the site. Not too many choices, just enough influx of new faces, and the niche is a real one — Jewish singles narrowing their search down to other Jewish singles. I love that it isn’t cluttered with tacky ads everywhere that make you feel like you’re a guest in a sleazy Vegas strip motel. The functionality is basic, well-executed, and mostly useful. Although their “click” system seems superfluous, and the instant chat is very slow in responding. JMag features some very readable writers. And JDate appeals to an upscale market by serving them well with a 24-hr customer service department. flirtysomething.com took some very valuable pointers from JDate in these regards.
On the flip side, I hate JDate because, with all that it has going for it, it seems to enable the boorish side of many of its members. The JDate system is replete with rejection points. Maybe too, the niche itself is by definition a little prone to egotism (hate to say it, but it may be true). Then there’s the interface, so cold and uninviting…way too much blue and white. Alright already, we know it’s a Jewish site. Does it also have to represent the state of Israel? And the inanity of JDate chat room chats…you may as well be in a sleazy Strip Casino sucking down free cocktails given the quality of discourse.
Ultimately, I also have a certain amount of distaste for “religious” screening of potential dates. Not to say that there isn’t a place on the dating map for such a niche, but it may not be for me. I prefer a niche defined by something other than tribal or religious affiliation. Finally, JDate the company is just too damn greedy…subscription rates are much too high! And, if you subscribe for one month, JDate automatically renews your subscription unless you overtly cancel, which I think is a bogus and egregious policy.
So, in short. Thank you JDate for my many months as a subscriber. I’ve met a few worthy men on JDate, but on balance probably not had enough social bang for the buck, so to speak. Match.com has been a better value in that regard. But thanks JDate for the education in what is worth emulating and what not to emulate in building flirtysomething.com.
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I have had the worst experience of my life on Jdate, (beside my divorce). I fell for and visited a married man. I of course, did not know he was married (he was on Jdate, a single dating service). I only found out after I did an online investagation when things didn’t add up. That was my worst experience. Then there’s the Atty., who asked me to breakfast, only to call back and wonder if we coud go dutch…I would be driving 40 miles rd. trip for this one. I could write a book, and may do it one day.