Match.Com -- a Million Singles Strong and Growing; Online Romance Proves to be Much More Than a Fad, as the Industry Leader Registers Members in Record Numbers.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 13, 1998--Match.Com, the Internet's leading matchmaking service, today announced the registration of its one-millionth member.

With current registrations of more than 20,000 new singles each week up more than 250% since January, Match.Com is on pace to change the way mainstream Americans find their romantic partners.

"While there are numerous factors that contribute to any online dating service's ability to deliver the results singles seek -- such as ease-of-use, superior functionality, quality content, a thriving community of high-quality singles, and an overriding commitment to member security -- critical mass is the make-or-break attribute," explained Match.Com president John Spottiswood. "Anyone entering the online dating industry today launches at a critical mass deficit, something certain to impede not only bottom-line dollars, but also member experience," Spottiswood added.

Thanks to its first-to-market position, longevity as market leader, strategic brand-development efforts and continued commitment to providing a superior member experience, Match.Com has become synonymous with online dating today. "While we see the one-millionth member milestone as a testament to our success in the market, much like McDonald's 'billions served,' we also recognize that these numbers guarantee better results for our members," said Spottiswood.

These results have exceeded all expectations for the company. Match.Com receives a steady stream of engagement and wedding announcements from its members, occasionally receiving wedding invitations from satisfied subscribers as well. Since the site's consumer launch in April 1995, Match.Com has been notified of more than 600 marriages, or more than 1,200 members who have met their husbands or wives through the service (the actual number is undoubtedly significantly higher).

This means that one out of every 833 registrants will eventually meet their husband or wife through Match.Com, and of the 20,000 new members registering each week, at least 24 of them on average will leave the service due to marriage.

"Our members experience great success," said Trish McDermott, Match.Com's resident dating expert. "We do provide a clean, safe site with state-of-the-art matchmaking functionality, dating tips and an active social community, but most importantly, Match.Com provides the most salient attribute to anyone looking for a partner -- a large, qualified, high-caliber group of men and women who are sincere about finding a romantic mate."

Due largely to strategically targeted marketing efforts and strictly enforced behavioral standards, Match.Com boasts impressive demographics. The membership breakdown is currently 45% female and 55% male. The majority of members are between 25-45 years old, college educated and working in a professional capacity. At any given time, more than 100,000 members will be actively seeking a partner via the site.

Match.Com relies on a subscription-based primary revenue model. Anyone can register for a free seven-day trial, after which users can purchase a one-month membership for $12.95, three months for $34.95 or a year for $89.95. As with membership rates, advertising sales (Match.Com's secondary revenue model) have demonstrated an upward trend for the company with recent signings of several six-figure deals. New partnerships, including alliances with Excite and Excite Classifieds, Netscape, and WebCrawler, are being negotiated daily.

Match.Com's success points to a larger online trend for the dating industry. According to a recent article in the Singles Press Association's monthly newsletter, the total amount of voice-mail personals minutes, as tracked by daily newspapers, were down by 20-25% during the first half of 1998.

Many traditional video dating and matchmaking services are attempting to fit their static, off-line business models into the fast-moving online arena. New online matchmaking services continue to launch, but few are able to offer the amenities, member quality and success rate that Match.Com has established, and all face an uphill battle in their efforts to reach critical mass.

In the coming months, Match.Com expects continued business and membership growth. "In the short-term, we're gearing up for the Valentine's season, our busiest time of year," according to Spottiswood. "We're targeting to triple our number of monthly registrations and overall site traffic this season."

The company also plans to form additional key partnerships, increase site functionality, and continue its trend of skyrocketing registration numbers. "Eventually," according to Spottiswood, "when any wired single person decides it's time to find a romantic partner, we expect that their first stop will be Match.Com."

Match.Com, Inc., a business unit of Cendant Corporation, has been named the market leader by Jupiter Communications and the leading online dating service by Newsweek. It can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.match.com. For the latest information on dating and romance, please visit the Match.Com online NewsCenter at http://www.match.com/newscenter.