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With the rapid growth of marriage and dating websites the online matchmaking business has come of age. The inexpensive way of contacting large number of people across different geographical and cultural sections of the society is the single major factor which has led to the mushrooming growth of these websites.
What began as an online version of a traditional pundit for match making in 1997 in India has now turned into a multi billion-rupee industry. e-pundits see a multiple growth in this sector with these websites offering related services like tips for brides to infrastructural support like food and mandap facilities.
Like majority of successful big ideas the idea of virtual match making has its origin in a common everyday experience. The promoter of India’s first leading online marriage bureau shaadi.com has a very interesting story which proves that creativity is nothing but looking an ordinary thing differently. When Anupam Mittal armed with foreign qualifications saw a pundit with details of many boys and girls the idea of online match making flashed in his mind and thus shaadi.com was born.
It was indeed a great persistent effort that has made this website maintain its front runners’ position in the increasingly competitive market of match making online. And as no virtual idea can stand alone virtually shaadi.com has now launched a massive offline support system to help its membership base of nearly 10 millions.
It has come out with the idea of shaadi points where people can go and get assistance from the staff running these shaadi points. It plans to set up 250 points across the country which will offer all services right from match making to wedding plans.
Talking about the present scenario Business head of shaadi.com, Vibhas Mehta said that more and more people are turning to this low cost medium. He agrees that in no way it replaces the physical interaction of the boy and the girl and their relatives but it narrows down the choice from almost an unlimited number.
It is only keeping this aspect in mind that the virtual service is being supported by the infrastructure of shaadi points. It is not just to get the best match from a wider base but is has a touching human face also.
Recently a boy and girl met online and then got married. It is not as simple as it sounds. The girl is hearing impaired and the boy who is normal learnt the technique to communicate with deaf people. The boy is from Banglore and the girl from Kolkata. The two met on shaadi.com then met offline and have now finally settled.
Vibhas informs that till now about 7.2 lakh people have tied knots through shaadi.com. The number might be more as many do not bother to inform us, he says. Gujaratis are number one in using this site. As large number of Gujaratis are NRIs they find this medium suitable sitting ashore. Now even Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and people from some S E Asian countries are using this site.
Many more sites have come recently but shaadi.com is number one, claims Vibhas. More players mean more awareness and more business. Our USP is “Do it yourself”, he says.
Shaadi.com is a multi cultural site and simplest to use. It is used mainly by individuals but family members are also frequent visitors searching for the right match, Vibhas says.
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