The latest GMIPoll powered by global market intelligence solutions provider GMI (Global Market Insite, Inc.) shows that online dating is becoming an increasingly credible and popular way of finding friends, partners and even ‘something for the weekend’.
The global survey of 17,500 consumers in 18 countries reveals that 10% of those polled have found a long-term partner through internet dating sites.
When compared to other countries, Britons are somewhat reluctant Internet daters. Only 5% have married as a result of the internet, 14% have had a casual sexual relationship and only 14% have had a serious or long-term relationship – lower than the global average.
The nationalities most likely to date online are the Brazilians, Germans and Americans (10%). The Dutch, French, Spanish and Danes (4%) are the least likely to wander the web searching for a date.
There’s new evidence that the boom in online meeting and dating is radically changing what people think is acceptable in relationships. 54% of respondents believe that simply having an online relationship is cheating on their significant other, this increases to 58% in the UK. Only 24% of respondents said categorically that an online relationship was not cheating.
The survey also exposed a darker side to Internet dating. Whilst 18% claim they used the Internet for casual sex, a very small percent – 4% – say that they go online looking just for sex rather than any kind of relationship. When asked, 78% of UK consumers agreed that people lie about themselves online while 17% of Britons admitted to having cheated on a significant other via an online dating site or the web.
“Not only does this poll tell us the extent of infidelity, but also that Americans seem to have such high expectations for online dating services. The fact that more people use online dating services than in the past, presents marketers with opportunities that are double-edged. You reach people who are actively seeking for relationships, but you may not get them involved in a relationship with your brand”, comments International marketing expert, Allyson Stewart-Allen, director of International Marketing Partners Ltd.
The main reason people give for using online dating sites is to ‘find friends or meet people’. This rises to 39% among UK online dating website users. The survey suggests consumers are reasonably happy with their Internet dating service – 36% of all respondents polled said their Internet date was “somewhat successful” whilst 11% said it was extremely successful. However Americans are the most dissatisfied and more respondents – 21% - no longer use online dating.
About GMIPoll
GMIPoll quickly and accurately gathers international opinions about topical issues and critical global events, with real-time results available in as little as 24 hours. GMIPoll is the only survey that polls global opinions in real time, on-line, and with statistically accurate results. More information on GMIPoll is available at
worldpoll.com.
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