Online Dating-The Truth about NICHE sites

More and more dating agencies and individuals are creating what is commonly known in the industry as a " niche dating website". Niche dating websites are misleading, as none inform the general public that whatever "NICHE" section they have searched for will have a generic data-base no different whatsoever than any other dating website. So I believe "all" niche sites are hugely misleading. IF it were any other professional sector, it would not be permitted. Niche dating websites, whitelabel in the UK, whitebox in the USA lead the general public into thinking they are buying into a certain sector of society when they are not. Whitelabel sites are NOT unique, and the people who sign up genuinely believe they are. No one should be sold an item or service that on the surface is one thing - yet once purchased is another. Now to some extent it can be excused when it's an individual who has no connection with the industry and they get fooled into thinking they are going to be making mega bucks out of creating "whitelabel dating site".

It takes no experience or great effort to create one, just an eye for a good photo for the home page which obviously portrays the niche you are selling to the public - after that, everything else is done for you. However, my intense dislike, is when those in the dating industry, matchmakers or dating coaches also jump on this bandwagon in "fooling" the general public they have somehow created this wonderful NEW NICHE site for " Pet Lovers, Opera Lovers, theatre, fitness, to the real culprits of "Wolves in Sheep clothing" that attempt to pull naïve, but genuine people in to the "LUXURY, ELITE, WEALTHY, EXCLUSIVE and AFFLUENT end of the market by tricking them with false information and promises.

How do they do this, by convincing people the members are from a certain SECTION of society, whatever niche that may be. Titles like EXCLUSIVE and ELITE you would expect to be meeting people from a more exclusive and elite section of society, as the words suggest they will be well educated, with university degrees, achieving professional status with a financial lifestyle to match. Exclusive does NOT mean mainstream or mass market open to all, where anyone can sign up, that in itself removes the exclusivity, but I'm afraid niche dating sites are anything but exclusive. You will meet exactly the same people as you will through "every" online dating site you choose to use. They will just LOOK different!

I have been a researcher in the industry for nearly fifteen years, and often write articles for magazines or provide research for universities for their studies into human relationships, so just over a year ago I decided to carry out some further research into NICHE dating sites. Especially as they seem to be popping up all over the internet - from the ' Exclusive, Senior, uniform, countrylovers, to luxurydate.co.uk and fashionabledates, are just the tip of the iceberg.

The dating industry as a whole receives a lot of bad press and considered in general as a quick buck industry, but if a service is built from ground zero, where a person has had to invest their own money, time and passion into it, it is a far cry from those who have created a niche site from a template. WHITELABEL sites are mostly created by people who have no experience in general, no background knowledge, or any professional skills or financial investment into these ventures. But the WOLVES are the ones in the dating industry, as they KNOW what they're doing and still continue to cajole, manipulate and sweet talk genuine people who have no idea that what they're buying into does NOT exist.

The companies providing such opportunities offer this FREE to people, all they have to do is purchase a domain name of their choice. Become an affiliate or a partner of some of the major dating and internet whitelabel companies around the world, and you can have niche site up and running in a matter of hours.

My objection to this continuing trend is that people are being mislead, they are being SOLD something that is NOT what it's being sold as. Now if people know this when they find themselves landing on dating website with a beautiful couple sipping champagne, climbing out of a limousine informing them ‘‘find a wealthy partner to share in and appreciate your lifestyle for all that it's worth. Elite Dating offers the opportunity for you to find your soulmate, at a reassuringly expensive price’’

WORDS THAT MISLEAD AND NOT REPRESENT THE REAL DATA BASE BEHIND THE NAME SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED.

FROM: ELITE DATING GROUP.CO.UK

"Reassuringly expensive - our membership fees put off time wasters, so we only attract wealthy singles in the UK! "

"Find wealthy singles for elite dating online. We have tens of thousands of rich, well off UK based single men and women members looking to spoil you rotten. Register today and you'll soon be feeling like a millionaire."

It's an amusing write up as obviously the person writing the above has absolutely no idea what the sophisticated and discerning affluent single will relate to - "ten of thousands" is the first one, as there are NOT tens of thousands available in society generally, the real affluent amongst society only account for a small minority group. "Spoil you rotten" hmmm...hardly sophisticated, it's a really poor attempt to catch people.

This site's platform (database) is operated by the company "Whitelabeldating-Global Personals" who operate literally hundreds of ONLINE DATING SITES where the same data-base is used whatever site you sign up to. They will of course explain they inform people of this in the T&C's, well may be so, but it is in the VERY SMALL PRINT after going through pages of the T&C's. It is NOT explained where people can make informed choices straight away, but that is the whole point, they don't want you to have the information before you part with your money. NICHE sites are NOT what they're sold as!

There is NOT anywhere on the HOME PAGE of any these sites that they are cross data platforms, which just mean you sign up to one NICHE site that appeals to you and you will be seen on 100's of other sites they maintain and run, and even some adult sites, so you do really need to scroll down and read the T&C's. But like most of us, very few people scroll down to the Terms and Conditions and READ the entire document, so unless you do, you will be joining a site that basically will have the same members as HUNDREDS of other sites. Now if you're signing up to Horselovers or Seniordates, Luxury dating for the wealthy, Military dates or 911dating, aren't YOU expecting to meet people from that sector? But IF this is what you think or expect, you will be sadly disappointed. The databases are just ONE BIG data-base of FREE sign ups from "all" walks of life" and the unemployed, yes lots of those, to those who only communicate through a computer. But NOT what you have signed up for.

*TAKEN from their T&C's: The site is powered by WhiteLabelDating.com, a powerful cross-platform dating solution which can be integrated with other websites.

Unless a company invests in a team of behind the scenes admin staff to check and verify the people joining a website, 'wealthy professionals' or horse lovers or whatever it may be, then you have a system that operates a "selection process". They do NOT! 99.9% of online dating platforms, are successful by being mainstream, as mainstream is the main part of our society.

DO NOT SPEND THEIR NIGHTS SITTING IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER OR THEIR IPAD LOOKING FOR POTENTIAL PARTNERS OR DATES

The fact is: wealthy, educated, highly accomplished people do not spend their time online dating. They do not want to be part of any data base where profiles or images are on display to anyone who may come across their details. Highly accomplished people have a position either professionally or in society which would mean they have to be more careful and discreet. I know as I have been matching such people for thirteen years, and they require confidentiality, diplomacy where their details are concerned and certainly not made available to the world at large.

HOW IT WORKS

The companies that provide affiliate niche sites, provide Joe Soap or Joanne Soap a template to add their own images and wording, with their own personal branding, where they will purchase a domain name for 10$ or £7 in the UK and have that domain name set up to reach the template in question, so to the general public who GOOGLES elite dating, wealthy, or exclusive will see this niche website come up in the search results. From there the person clicks through to the website and is presented with an image that would certainly indicate this is not just another online database - UNTIL you dig deeper!

THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS STATE, WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE TO READ

‘‘The Service is offered through and accessible through a number of other websites in addition to the Site. By registering with the Site you acknowledge and accept that all Content that you post to the site may be searchable and available to users of the Service who access it via different web sites from the Site. You further acknowledge and accept that other members of the Service that you may view and communicate with via the Service may have registered with and accessed the Service through a number of different web sites’’

THEIR NEEDS TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT INFORMATION BEFORE PEOPLE SIGN UP

Large affiliate companies both in the Uk and the USA are offering their dating software platforms to the general public for FREE. This means anyone who wants to attempt to make money out of you, by appealing to WHO you would like to date, can do so, knowing absolutely nothing about the dating industry, apart from, he or she thinks it will make him/her some quick money, can build a brand name of his own for free, get the website hosted for free, and choose to call their online dating community anything they like..such as Elite Dating.Uk, Countryside Dating, Directors Dating, to Senior Dating for the over 50's, when ALL these online sites, are just ONE main data-base owned by the same company with the same people you can meet anywhere.

On the surface why shouldn't this be OK, well because IF the company providing the niche site to anyone who wants to set one up, does not have on the hompeage that the site is affilitated with many other websites, it would appear they would be concerned that people would not sign up based around the service being sold was and could be diluted to include all walks of life members, and not just the niche being sold to potential members.

GENUINE DATA BASES OF THE NICHE SOLD TO POTENTIAL MEMBERS

People looking to find potential dates through an online dating community that is SELLING a niche sector to it's customers, SHOULD and MUST provide a genuine data-base of such singles. ONLY the problem is, they do not, so it's not honest, and such websites are not offering what they say they are, or what they portray on the front page to attract those searching for such terms as Exclusive, Elite to Senior and countryside dating.

I am well aware people searching for Exclusive Dating and Elite Dating or Senior Dating are expecting to meet people from a certain niche in society. If a website is selling the following ' high-end online dating with singles from successful and professional backgrounds. You like the finer things in life, your online dating experience should be the same ' Then surely one would expect such professionals as doctors, investment bankers, successful business people, entrepreneurs, people from the media, and certainly people an earning capacity above 200K a year.

The 200K plus lifestyle professional is NOT in abundance in these databases or in life, very wealthy people do not place their photos online, they are discreet, and certainly have very active social lives, and don't sit at night in front of their computer, so don't be fooled by this. Unfortunately it is mostly women who get lured into this, seeking a genuine man with a similar lifestyle, as ever, it's mostly women seeking commitment, and they will always be more pro-active. When in this lifestyle bracket you want to meet like minded and similar individuals. Just do a quick search of these databases and they are FULL of people who are not in this category, but lorry/truck drivers, admin workers, shop workers, gardeners, unskilled manual workers to the unemployed. There is NOTHING wrong with anyone or any job that has been mentioned, but there is IF you are selling high-end exclusive, luxury dating.

If large dating companies are going to allow people to co-brand their own dating communities using their software, then they must ensure the general public are getting what is being sold to them, or at least in the greater part. If people are searching for exclusive, elite single professionals then at least 70% of the database of singles should be high-end professionals, and the same with the over 50's, If not, this is dishonest, and continues to tarnish the dating industry in a bad light.

Lastly if you're searching for a niche service, BEFORE you sign up, do a quick search, and always scroll down to contact us or Terms and Conditions to see who owns the data-base, as 9-10 it will be the same company selling different niches with the same members.