Individual Case Analysis*€”eHarmony
Background
eHarmony is an online dating website designed specifically to match single men and
women for long-term relationships. It was founded by Neil Clark Warren, a psychologist
and author of relationship advice books, along with Greg Forgatch, Warrens son-in-law. To
optimize the matching process, eHarmony operates eHarmony Labs, a relationship
research facility. And eHarmony has a its own unique methodology and matching
algorithm, which is a the main footstone for eHarmony.
Recently, eHarmony finds that there are more and more companies enter into matching
market and its main competitors are copying its some features to improve their own
competition. How eHarmony should address recent competitors actions. They now have
four options and people in eHarmony are debating for choosing their strategies to defend
their company, even broaden their current market share. At the same time, Their CEO,
Greg Waldorf, must do a final decision that which option(s) the company should pursue.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
* A unique product with an extensive relationship questionnaire, a patented matching
system and a guided communication system.
* Its founder, Dr. Warren, is a practicing psychologist focused on marriage and family
relationships.
* Have a strong researching ability, and high investment in research and development of
biological, sociological, and neurological aspects, even physical attraction.
* eHarmonys matching is more scientific. It introduced matching on the basis of long-term
compatibility.
* Three million registrations, at least 40% of which are active users.
* Company has its own business and moral standard. It refuses some potential clients like
people already married or divorced more than three times.
* Customers of eHarmony have a high rate for matching successfully. In 2007, on average,
