Hey unhappily single boys and girls. 2 more days before Valentines. Where do you look for a date? You can choose from your usual friends (with benefits?), officemates, or Friendster connections. Then there’s your YM contacts, Christianster, MySpace, Multiply, or forums like Pinoy Exchange or Manila Tonight 
Ever consider the solely dating websites like Itzamatch and Crushcow?
I still get notified by my Itzamatch account — dormant for at least 2 years — so I know they’re still alive. But what about Crushcow?
Crushcow (a Chikka subsidiary), started in 2001, lets you browse through profiles online or through SMS queries. The young and fabulously single could easily spend their cellphone load texting strangers through Crushcow, hoping to find that elusive 4-letter-L-word.
This chart shows site visits per month from January 2007 to present.
Scratch what I said about Itzamatch. It seems their traffic is steadily declining whereas Crushcow never took off. Looks like they’re hitting rock bottom together with Crushcow. The last update in the Crushcow forums is dated 2006. The featured profile on their homepage – kuroishi, 19, Manila says:
I’ve been the featured personnel for months already and it should have been only for a week… Crushcow seems to have been abandoned already. dead! xD
If I were single and the site had really good prospects, I’d probably use Crushcow. The mobile component is terribly convenient and apt for when I’m on the go. It would be great if I’m out late after work on a Friday night and I want to get an instant date. Ideally I could just SMS Crushcow and find a blind date right? But not if I get cheated out of P2.50 for every query. Crushcow has to come up with another revenue source and maximize their web application. Provide events for their single users like Itzamatch’s speed dating parties and school events or tie up with Close Up’s Loveapalooza. They could also show testimonials of people who have hooked up through their site.
Heard from the grapevine: A handful of Crushcow key people (non-programmers) are saying bye-bye to their now very blue company. Hope they at least get some flowers and chocolates.
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