Shaadi.com
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Shaadi.com - World’s Largest Matrimonial Website
Summary:
Shaadi.com proudly markets itself as “The world’s largest matrimonial service,” and it should be no surprise since it caters to the vast Indian market: India has over 1,000,000,000 people, and there are also large Indian communities abroad. Shaadi’s parent company, People Interactive, was founded in 1997. Award-winning Shaadi.com boasts millions of members and records over 200 million page views per month.
Pros:
- The huge member base increases the probabilities of finding a match
- The software is simply fantastic
Cons:
- You cannot get membership for a single month
- It is strictly geared towards finding marriage
Costs:
Shaadi is so determined to build and keep the largest single membership for Indians that it allows extraordinary perks to free members. Without putting forth a cent, you can set up a profile, show interest to other members, and read and respond to their chat message and emails. Premium members also have the option to initiate contact, and they are listed in bold and have access to a personal profile matcher besides the automated “eMatchmaker.” The shortest membership lasts 3 months and has a cost of $23/month. The other two options last 6 and 12 months (the best deal comes at $13/month;) longer memberships come with added perks such as bold listing and the right to view more validated contact details.
Account Setup: Easy
It took us 15 minutes to create an account in Shaadi, as most of the work is ticking boxes. You are required to write two essays: one about yourself, and one about your family and family values. Since weddings are traditionally arranged by family members in India, the first question Shaadi asks is who is creating the profile: self, parents, sibling, etc. other questions include horoscope, blood type, heritage/religion/caste and income. Shaadi is adamant on getting a notion of your income as well as a phone number where you (or your matchmaker) can be contacted – these are mandatory fields.
Photos:
Shaadi.com makes uploading pictures a breeze, and you can see them in a fairly large display (about 3×4 inches.) There are three levels of privacy for pictures: they can be visible to everyone, only to people you accept, or only with a password. The only downside is that you are only allowed to post 3 photos.
Search:
Paying members and guests alike can make the most of Shaadi’s search software, which runs the usual searches (location, age, marital status) but will also filter by religion, language, blood type, horoscope etc. For an added price you can be shown matches whose horoscope agrees with yours.
Special Features:
Shaadi is chock full of special features: besides a dedicated website (ShaadiTimes) and a shop for all things wedding-related, Shaadi offers a dedicated Astrologer, events for members in certain cities, and even a personally assisted matchmaking service called ShaadiSapphire. The superb Shaadi software has a downloadable toolbar so you can stay on top of your matchmaking at all times.
To entice an even larger Asian public, Shaadi is translated into the 15 main Indian languages, including Hindi, Punjabi, Parsi, Tamil and Urdu.
Finally, Shaadi has an outrageous no-questions-asked guarantee: if you have not accepted at least 1 member in the first month of your Premium membership, they will refund your entire fee.
Support:
Besides a fully indexed, comprehensive FAQ, Shaadi has live chat help and a toll free number for all your questions and comments.
In their words:
The mission of Shaadi.com Matrimonials is to provide Asians with a superior matchmaking experience by expanding the opportunities available to meet potential life partners and build fulfilling relationships. We strive to do this through superior technology, in-depth research, valuable matrimonial content & services, and above all the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, understanding, respect, and company spirit.
Our reviewer’s opinion:
This is really a superb site on many accounts: the huge user base, fabulous software and lots of extra features make it a joy to use, so in a way it is a shame that it is so clearly geared towards marrying people of Indian descent, which leaves out a good number of singles around the world. Still, if you’re Indian and single this is the site for you.
Arrange your own love marriage? Register at Shaadi.com Matrimonials
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