Love is in the Air: Cupid Goes Techie

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Valentine is right behind Christmas and Cyber Monday in terms of sales and it’s not just flowers and chocolates anymore. The web has caught the love virus bigtime and there’s practically no excuse for men to forget V-Day to the endless frustration of their significant others. Lest you find that amusing or petty, note that in the past, 53% of women broke up with their partners because of this slight! Is it because 20% (mostly men) don’t plan for this event and wait until the 11th hour before making plans or selecting that special gift? Truth is, there are some absolutely romantic ways to spend Valentines Day without breaking the bank – like a home-cooked dinner, a massage, and even watching the nth rerun of a favorite romantic comedy (hers, not necessarily yours).

E-commerce has made choosing easier and Amazon’s fast delivery makes it possible to get that chosen gift right on the doorstep on Valentines Day even if it was ordered barely 24 hours earlier. No wonder that online shopping is predicted to outsell brick-and-mortar stores by 31%. We also see a surge in searches for restaurants with bookings confirmed on the smartphone. With the average person spending $158 on the average, it comes up to a whopping $18.9 Billion (more in 2018). A heart on fire knows no bounds indeed!

But what happens when you just can’t find someone because Cupid’s aim missed? From silly online Love Partner calculators to the algorithm-driven Cupid.com and Match.com online dating sites, we see tech driving the chances of finding “the ONE”. Do we trust the math behind it? It does seem that certain people are more inclined to meet someone that comes with the right “specifications” through apps and portals that allow them to chat, flirt, and fall in love. For some, going online to find your match is cheaper, safer, and more convenient than going on blind dates or speed dating. In fact, income generated in the U.S. is predicted to reach $590 M in 2018 and predicted to rise steadily. Believe it or not, 20% of that sweet pie is spent on pets!

Single and ready to mingle sounds fun but dating experts at Cupid.com tell a different story. Apparently, for those who had failed attempts in the past, a long-term relationship was the popular dating goal. Half of those who had been widowed, divorced, separated, and single are not in the market for casual dating but seriously looking for a potential life partner. However, only 39% among those who’ve had a recent break-up trusted love to come soon enough. Surprisingly though still reeling from the hurt, 19% of those who have just broken up wanted to reconcile with their ex. Fifteen percent of those who had been divorced and single for a while had fewer expectations and are comfortable with just testing the waters.

And while New Year and Valentine put a bit of pressure to those who are single, none of those interviewed joined just to have a fling. During holidays, well-meaning family and friends may have jokingly badgered those who are unattached, but it’s really best to just let them. App or not, the message is clear that people despite being seen as more impersonal still crave for someone who “completes” them.

Curious on how you will fare, download the Cupid app from these sites:
AppStore U.S.A.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cupid-dating-meet-local-singles-find-true-love/id379268567?mt=8
AppStore U.K.
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/cupid-dating-meet-local-singles-find-true-love/id379268567?mt=8

Courtesy of: The Shelf