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SINGAPORE: A regional dating survey of singles in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong has found that Singaporeans are the most open to the idea of online matchmaking and dating.
To ride on the trend, a unique online initiative has been launched.
Janice Oo is 23 years old and is looking for Mr Right online.
She said: “I would like to widen my social circle and to get to know more friends so that I can get to choose more people like my partners.”
And according to a survey by dating agency, Lunch Actually, more Singaporeans are looking for a life partner this way.
85 per cent of 630 singles in Singapore polled were willing to try an online matchmaking agency.
41 per cent have used online dating compared to 26 percent last year.
This is likely to become the norm as more Singaporeans get tech-savvy.
Violet Lim, founding director, Lunch Actually, said: “In the past, when we did a similar survey and we asked them to rank what their preferred methods of dating were, online dating did not rank so high.
“Many singles have actually cited that the reason they are becoming more open to using online dating is because it is more convenient and they can access it 24-7.”
The company has launched eSynchrony, a personality-based matchmaking platform that seeks to integrate online and "offline" dating.
Ms Lim added: “I would say the the traditional online dating websites are based on very superficial choices. When people go online, the guys will probably look out for the most beautiful photos and just message the person.
“We have developed a very unique 15-compatibility algorithm. Based on these algorithms we will give them suggested matches so they will be able to see that this person is actually 81 per cent compatible with them.
“The key difference to eSynchrony compared to other personality tests platforms out there is that we actually arrange the dates. This is a good compromise to dating between online and offline and encourage more singles to be pro-active to go out there and find love.”
The platform is also expected to fix the problem of falsification of information. Since its soft launch in April, it has attracted some 800 members. Some 60 dates have been arranged.
The dating survey also showed that 60 per cent of Singaporeans have been on dates where they had thought everything had gone well but there was no interest from the other party after that.
Out of these, 80 per cent wanted feedback on what went wrong. And this is something that eSynchrony.com can also provide.
Despite the readiness to turn to the internet, singles in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia still prefer to be introduced by friends or colleagues.
Singaporeans and Malaysians said they like being single because of the ability to control their own finances.
With recent population figures showing a significantly higher number of singles compared with 10 years ago, the internet may just be one tool to help reverse the trend.
Singlehood rates were highest among men with below secondary educational qualifications and among women with university qualifications.
The poll found that Singapore women are most receptive to dating a younger man followed by Hong Kong women.
All Hong Kong men surveyed will date a woman who has a higher educational level. But Singaporean men are least inclined to dating a taller woman.
Close to 1,100 singles took part in the survey. - CNA/vm
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