What a $50,000 Matchmaker Can't Promise

Elite matchmaking can involve real, countable work. Selective Search says its retained searches average $50,000 to $500,000, with researchers, recruiters, and concierge support. That labor may save time; it cannot guarantee chemistry. 1

That distinction belongs in the contract. A Washington State settlement followed complaints that one dating service overstated its active membership and failed to disclose extra fees; the company admitted no wrongdoing. 2 In two speed-dating studies, models using more than 100 traits and preferences still could not predict attraction unique to a specific pair. 3

Ask what the fee can count: candidates sourced, screenings completed, and introductions delivered. Those are services. The uncertainty around who will click is not a personal defect, and it is not inventory a matchmaker can promise.