eHarmony Blog.com

We’ve heard that eHarmony is gearing up to buy online businesses — so we’d like to offer suggestions.

#1. A gay dating site

The two choices on the homepage are “Man seeking a woman” and “Woman seeking a man”. Why drive those with other life choices away to other sites and risk a lawsuit (Oh no, wait…)? It’s not as if eHarmony guarantees that it pre-screens across 29 dimensions of compatibility anyway.

Yes, I know this idea detaches from eHarmony’s goal of lowering the divorce rate in America. However, take note that their mission statement isn’t about the divorce rate at all:

eHarmony Mission Statement

To empower people with the knowledge and inspiration needed to grow and strengthen their most important relationships for a lifetime of happiness.

This is still within their mission. Unless eHarmony says gays aren’t people.

#2. A search-and-browse dating site

eHarmony already has the personal preferences of over 1.6 million whom it rejected while looking for love. Why put all that business to waste? If they don’t want to match them, then let them search and browse for partners on their own!

Plus, since eHarmony is turning into a Match.com clone anyway… well…

#3. FriendHarmony

• Find people with whom you actually get along and have plenty in common
• True friendship is worth gold, so charge appropriately
• Tons of opportunities for repeat business

#4. Pet matchmaking

Match pets to pet owners.

• According to the 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey, 63% of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 71.1 million homes.
• According to APPMA, the Total U.S. Pet Industry Expenditures for 2007 is $41.2 billion dollars.

UPDATE 15 May 2008: Read the AP article, A personality test for your cat

#5. Religion and congregation matchmaking

• Match people to religions and non-religions
• Match congregants to religious congregations or communities
• Bring together people who believe or don’t believe the same things
• Explore X number of dimensions of religious and spiritual compatibility

#6. Adoption matchmaking

• Match orphans to parents
• Guide parents along interstate and international adoption

#7. Career matchmaking

• Match people to careers
• Match people to jobs

#8. Real estate matchmaking

• Match homes to homebuyers
• Match rental properties to tenants

Read also Andrew Chen’s “eHarmony’s mechanism is useful for other problems, too“.