SHIFT IN CLIENTELE
Dating Agency Lunch Actually is also experiencing a similar shift in its clientele.
The company used to mainly cater to those in their late 20s to 40s but has in recent years seen more early 20s singles come through its doors, many with marriage on the cards.
“The young singles are (mostly) looking for someone serious to get to know better and see if they are (suitable to) settle down,” said Ms Violet Lim, CEO and co-founder of the agency.
Aside from younger clients, another group at the other end of the spectrum is also increasingly seeking such services.
“We are also seeing (more) singles in their 50s, 60s or even 70s. Many are divorcees or widows and widowers looking for a second chance at love,” said Ms Lim.
SEASONAL PEAK PERIOD
The agencies are also seeing an additional boom in business in the past few months leading up to Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day.
Lunch Actually said it typically sees a jump of 15 to 20 per cent more sign-ups over the festive period, attributing the boost to holidays being big motivators.
“People are going to start asking about girlfriends, boyfriends and marriage … it just sort of triggers the thought that maybe it’s time to start finding a partner,” said Ms Lim.
Crunch time for GaiGai starts about two months before Christmas and lasts until after Feb 14, with a spike in January as people make New Year resolutions.
“Some members told us that they wanted to bring a partner back for their reunion dinner and Chinese New Year visiting,” said Ms Ng. “They asked us: ‘Can you find me someone to bring back home so that I can please all my family members, and stop them from asking questions?’”
WHY IS THE CLIENTELE GETTING YOUNGER
Matchmaking professionals said that while online platforms are making young people more open to dating, disappointing experiences on dating apps have led them to seek expert help in the relationship department.
“They want to work with someone who is going to professionally … curate and arrange the dates for them … they feel that it’s just easier and safer for someone to do the legwork and they just need to show up and enjoy the date,” said Ms Lim.
Ms Elaina Low, a senior relationship manager with GaiGai, said: “People come to us looking for compatibility. If you were to date outside, it takes a bit of time. But here, because of the series of questions we ask, we can filter.”