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The Bottom Line
Great Expectations has been in the matchmaking business since 1976. That's
a lot of experience - when these guys started out, the internet was still
in its infancy as a military project. That means that this service is
very much an offline dating business that is now making it's presence
felt online - watch out internet-only brands. The downside is that if you don't have one of their
50 offices in your area, you can't make the best of this service. But the
good news is that Great Expectations have brought all of their experience
and know-how in the field of matchmaking to a new online-only service
called "Great Dating".
If you are looking for a serious
relationship, then we think Great Expectations is one of your best chances
of finding it - provided you live in the US. It's a quality service, and
is rivalled only by (online-only) eHarmony.
Membership
More than 100,000. That might not sound a lot, but
remember that Great Expectations is not an average dating website, and
that it pre-screens and qualifies all new members. So you can be assured
that every single member here is serious about finding a partner, and
hasn't just joined on a whim or for a bit of a giggle.
Profile Detail
Being mainly an off-line service, Great
Expectations does not have the usual profile-screen. Instead, you are
asked a few basic questions which essentially amount to contact
information, and then your application is reviewed by a real person and
you are contacted with further details about joining. There is no
obligation, so it's worth filling out the form and sending it off we
think.
Searching
Searching is done offline, by
professional matchmakers. The online-only "Great Dating" version of the service is a member of the "relationship exchange" system and so the searching features are the same as other member sites - see our
Cupid Junction review for an example.
Safety
Naturally with all members being pre-screened and
qualified, and matching being performed off-line, this is one of the
safest forms of meeting people you will find.
How much can be done for free
The initial profile review is
free. After that, Great Expectations will discuss costs on an individual
basis. The Great Dating side of the site again works on the Relationship
Exchange model, and charges you only when you want to start making contact
with other members.
Site speed and ease of navigation
Being a mainly offline
service, navigation is not a huge issue here! However, we were happy to
note that the site design is clean and easy to follow.
Click here to visit Great
Expectations |
