Vera J. Schulz

UX Projects

Callistemon Insights

Building Trust and Engagement: Date To Marry

Project Summary

DatetoMarry is a dating platform designed to connect individuals looking for long-term relationships. Our user research focused on understanding why users cancel their free trials and what barriers they face when converting to paid subscriptions. The goal was to identify key pain points and recommend actionable solutions to improve retention and conversion rates.

Upon analysis, we found that the main issue stemmed from a lack of clarity between the trial and subscription features, leading to confusion and cancellations.

Key Outcomes:

  • Reducing Paywall Frustration: Proposed a freemium model for browsing to address frustrations around the paywall.
  • Improved Matching Preferences: Recommended better filters for age and location to match users with more relevant profiles.
  • Streamlined Subscription Management: Suggested improvements for transparency in subscription options and easier ways to unsubscribe.

Project Overview

DatetoMarry is a platform that connects individuals seeking committed relationships. However, despite the platform’s potential, many users canceled their free trials before upgrading to a paid subscription. The research focused on uncovering the reasons behind these cancellations, including confusion around the trial period, mismatched preferences, subscription management difficulties, and concerns about payment affordability.

Our primary objective was to gather insights to enhance user experience and ultimately increase retention and conversions.

The Challenge:
We identified three major pain points for users:

  1. Paywall frustration
  2. Ineffective filters for matching preferences
  3. Challenges in managing subscriptions and trial-to-paid transitions.

Users found it difficult to explore the platform freely, felt that the filters didn’t match their preferences, and faced challenges when trying to unsubscribe or manage their subscriptions.

Research Approach

To gain deeper insights, we conducted phone interviews with users who had completed or were using the free trial of DatetoMarry. The sample was pre-selected based on prior survey responses.

  • Sample Size: 14 users (7 Male, 7 Female), ages 28-70, with the majority in the 60-70s range.
  • Method: Semi-structured phone interviews.

Key Research Questions

  1. Why are users canceling their free trials?
  2. What are the specific pain points with the trial and subscription features?
  3. How do users perceive the app’s value during the trial period?
  4. Are the pricing models aligned with user expectations?
  5. How does DatetoMarry compare to other dating platforms?

Key Insights and Solutions

  1. Paywall Frustration
    • Users expressed frustration with the paywall, feeling that they couldn’t explore the platform without paying.
    • User Comments:
      • “You have to pay to explore.”
      • “Even for the trial period, it required my card information.”
    • Recommendation: Implement a freemium model to allow users to browse and explore before committing to a subscription.
  2. Mismatched Preferences (Age & Location)
    • Filters for age and location were not effective, leading to irrelevant matches.
    • User Comments:
      • “The people I see are too far away or outside my age range.”
    • Recommendation: Improve the age and location filters to provide more relevant matches for users.
  3. Subscription Management Issues
    • Users struggled with managing their subscriptions and had difficulty unsubscribing.
    • User Comments:
      • “There’s no way to unsubscribe.”
    • Recommendation: Improve transparency around subscription management, and provide clear instructions on how to cancel and track trial expiration dates.
  4. Profile Authenticity Concerns
    • Many users were concerned about the authenticity of profiles and the presence of scammers.
    • User Comments:
      • “Scammers are rampant.”
    • Recommendation: Enhance the profile verification process to build trust, including options like video authentication and AI-based photo checks.
  5. Desire for More Free Features
    • Users felt that the trial version lacked essential features.
    • User Comments:
      • “I can’t message anyone without paying.”
    • Recommendation: Provide more free features, such as limited messaging, to encourage user engagement during the trial period.
  6. Payment Concerns and Affordability
    • Users expressed concerns about the affordability of the platform.
    • User Comments:
      • “The $9.99 weekly fee is expensive.”
    • Recommendation: Introduce more flexible and affordable pricing options to cater to different user budgets.

Additional Insights

  • Low Engagement: Users felt discouraged by the lack of relevant matches.
    • Recommendation: Add features like video messaging or interactive prompts to increase engagement and provide more ways to connect with others.
  • Simple Interface: The app’s simplicity was well-received.
    • Recommendation: Keep the interface simple while adding new features to improve user experience.

Current Conclusion and Recommendations

To enhance conversion and reduce churn, DatetoMarry should focus on:

  1. Freemium Model: Allow users to explore features without upfront payment, increasing trust and lowering barriers to entry.
  2. Subscription Transparency: Provide clearer information on trial terms, subscription options, and easy-to-follow cancellation instructions.
  3. Enhanced Matching: Improve filters for age and location to ensure users are matched with more relevant profiles.
  4. Stronger Profile Verification: Strengthen authentication processes to improve trust and safety on the platform.