Online dating apps force users to play a game of swiping, matching, messaging and waiting. Visavis introduces a new model that ensures a smooth, fast and safe transition between online and offline.
Hi Product Hunt π
Like most people, Iβve personally experienced the frustrations of online dating β endless swiping, matching and messaging but hardly any offline dates. At first, I thought that the problem lied in my profile and that optimising my photos and bio was the key to increasing my success rate.
Spoiler alert: Hiring a professional photographer, using a puppy in my photos and even paying for premium subscriptions didnβt help. π€·ββοΈ
It wasnβt until I started doing some more research that I discovered the irony of the problemβ¦
β Dating apps do not actually want us to go on dates. β
They monetise on the online behaviour of users, so the more time they keep us online swiping, matching and messaging, the more revenue they generate through ad impressions and in-app purchases. Itβs not a coincidence that it takes on average 12 hours of using dating apps to yield less than 2 hours of offline interaction. π
This fundamentally flawed approach is what motivated us to build Visavis. π¨βπ»
Research showed that thirty seconds with someone is all you need to tell if you click. Our goal is to make dating as effortless as getting an Uber or booking an Airbnb. We set out to achieve this by replacing the traditional message-centric model with a date-setup service to ensure a smooth, fast and safe transition between online and offline. β‘οΈ
Hereβs how the app works:
1. Receive new matches daily β€οΈ
2. Invite a match to meet for coffee, drinks or food βοΈπ₯π΄
3. Pick a nearby venue π
4. Propose a date & time π π€
5. Send the invitation β
The recipient will be notified, and they have 24 hours to respond by declining, rescheduling or accepting before the invitation expires. If they accept, then the date is confirmed, and just like that, you are going on a date. π₯³
We are excited to be on Product Hunt today, and we are looking forward to your comments, thoughts, and feedback.
PS Send us a cat emoji using our in-app chat in the next few hours, and weβll upgrade your account to Premium FOR LIFE (normally Β£4.99/month). π»
Michalis
Visavis Co-founder
@mpanayio I had the same exact idea a couple of years ago. Like you, I understood that datinf apps have no incentive on getting you dates.
The main problem I saw and wasn't able to resolve is the fact that people can just ball on their date. And one experience like that is enough to close with the app forever. How did you solve the problem?
By the way, I think that you choose the wrong business model.
Thank you for your comment @Luqa π
I completely agree with you that flaking is a big issue and leaving it undressed can compromise the experience for a lot of people. About 33% of dates established on dating apps result in a no-show if Iβm not mistaken.
We started with a very different model that addressed that head-on. Hereβs how it used to work:
When a date was confirmed, both users would be charged with a deposit fee, depending on the type of date (coffee Β£5, drinks Β£7.50, food Β£10). This collective deposit amount would then be deducted from the bill at the venue at the specified date and time.
This financial commitment was a measure taken to minimise the likelihood of someone getting stood up on a real-life date. In the unlikely scenario of you getting stood up, you could use the deposit already paid by the no-show party to drown your sorrows at the venue π€£
The main issue that we faced with this approach was that people were reluctant to add their payment card details to a brand new app that theyβve just downloaded. We A/B tested it with/without the deposit and the version without the deposit was a lot more effective, so we went with that (for now).
Additionally, by removing the deposit, we have one less side on our platform to manage (venues), so we can be laser-focused on the user-side to ensure that we are building something people love.
When we get there, weβll revisit the old (and perhaps other) business models to find the one thatβs right for our app.
Hope that this answers your question,
Michalis
@mpanayio I like the idea of the deposit. I understand why without a deposit you have more dates scheduled, but at the same, there are no mechanisms against "trolls" that register just to create problems. That's a dilemma to solve.
Wish you good like guys
@luqa@mpanayio I guess that the only solution would be to
- charge people upfront for a membership, without a trial period (spammers and likely to spend money just to ruin other people days)*
- implement a reporting feature. If the same person is reported even once, the moderators will look into it and get in touch with the reporter and the person got reported to see if it was a serious reason to cancel.
- let people whoβs agreed to go on a date cancel it in advance in case something comes up and make it really easy to do so so that they donβt have any excuse not to officially cancel it
*note: because it would be hard for someone to pay upfront without knowing if there are many people in their area, the app could show them the number of people nearby, and a few photos, before they sign up.
@mpanayio you have not launched on Android. So my premium membership is on stake. What steps should be taken so I can get it when you launch on Android.
@falak_sher Haha β we are currently testing the Android version on a small scale and we'll make it available for everybody as soon as we crush some annoying bugs πSend us an email with the cat emoji instead at founders@visavis.app. We'll let you know when the Android app is out, with a premium upgrade waiting for you π
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