In a variation on online dating, two new concepts allow people to connect online after first meeting (briefly) in the physical world. Canadian Admit an Attraction prints Attraction Tickets for members (CDN 9.95 for a twelve-pack). Members hand out a ticket to someone they meet in public. A ticket receiver can then go online to check out the member's profile using a unique access code, and get in touch if the attraction is mutual. Since the tickets don't contain any personal information, both parties are guaranteed a level of privacy they wouldn't have if they exchanged phone numbers or email addresses.
Hitchoo, which recently launched in Singapore, works on the same principle, sending members cards with a friendly "You made my day" on the front, and access details on the back.The first 8 cards are free; 12 additional cards can be bought for SGD 18.
How is the carding system different from regular online dating? Physical chemistry is established up front, not after endless online chats and emails. And since the receiving party doesn't have to be a member of an online service, members have access to a larger pool of potential mates. Of course, a simpler route would be to ask for someone's phone number. But for shy consumers or those who don't want to divulge personal details to total strangers, dating cards could definitely work. One to start up locally, or to add to your offerings if you’re already in the matchmaking business.
Website: www.admitanattraction.com — www.hitchoo.com
Contact: info@admitanattraction.com — yinghan@hitchoo.com
Spotted by: William Chiang
This is the same principle as www.urbanseeder.com. Someone made this good idea into commercial :(
@ Johnny - I am quite sure that urbanseeder is also being made with a commercial motive in mind. Build up a business and sell it to Yahoo or Google, that's how it works. Programmers gotta eat too!
It reminds me of a book I read years ago where a guy runs through London giving his phone number to every woman he sees, with a note saying how great they are. He was desperate to stay in the UK so would spend hours writing these 'personal' notes :P
Brilliant. What a great concept!
Mark Bowness
I can imagine this beeing something parents giving their offspring as to ensure their privacy when they first set out to date.
Am i the only one to think that this is a lame idea ? It's just a gimmick for an online dating site (another one).
How is someone going to react if you walk up to them, without even having a conversation with them, and hand them a card expecting them to look online for your details ?
They won't do it - they will not think you are a confident person. Even worse, they will think you are a weak person. What happened to building rapport with someone ?
"oh, i met my boyfriend when he handed me a card with a link to his profile"
If you like someone enough to hand them a card, then at least make conversation and get a tel number or email address.
I don't think this is a good idea at all - it's just a gimmick. However, i have lots of respect for those who take an idea and run with it, so i wish these guys the best of luck :>
So sorry for the multiple comments - i'm having having problems with my stone age computer !
Dan >
Now I agree with (both of) your post(s) :yes:
Dan: it would be weird to hand someone a card if you'd talked with them at length. But how about someone you'd just met in passing, or spotted on the subway, with no real chance of talking to them? That's what I assumed the cards were for, preventing connections from becoming missed.
This is already being done here in London (England, UK) by a company called www.newwaytodate.com it was in the Evening Standard a few weeks ago!
No word of a lie, but I've sat on this SAME idea as early as 2001 (I discussed it with someone at a previous employer, hence my remembering to date). Thing is, I'm a HUGE procrastinator, and I couldn't come up with the best way to get people to obtain what I call 'Tokens' (printing them is an extra step, writing them is tacky, ordering them means waiting for snail mail).
Yep, I agree that someone could appear 'weak', but there are times when either time is not on your side (airports, train stations etc.) or the anonymity might make a difference.
Hey, I might dust the idea off again (with a few enhan cements), still sitting on the domain name(s) I bought for it.....[sorry]