1. Love at First Click: A courtship with E-Dating Image by Ambrozjo, stock.xchng

2. Everyone dreams of finding that one perfectperson… Image by L. Hollis Photography, Flickr

3. Someone who both compliments us and challengesus to be the best person we can be. Image by L. Hollis Photography, Flickr

4. In past decades, in order to meet someone many people relied on mutual friends, arranged social events, personal ads, and bars. Image by cjhallman, stock.xchng

5. But even if two people met, the odds of finding true love could seem pretty rare. Image by Yané, Flickr

6. This would explain why more and more people have been opting to try to find love online instead of visiting the local bar. Image by chasz57, Flickr

7. In fact, only 9% of women and 2% of men say they’ve actually found a relationship at a bar. Worldwide Online Dating Statistics, The Dating Journal (February 20, 2010) Image by Tombre, stock.xchng

8. When the first online dating site launched in the 1990s, admitting to looking for love online was considered taboo and often kept secret. Image by Christian Kitazume, stock.xchng

9. However, this is no longer the case. In a recent survey, 1.1 to 1.2 million Canadians have admitted to using an online dating site. Worldwide Online Dating Statistics, The Dating Journal (February 20, 2010) Image by len-k-a, stock.xchng

10. Today, the ages of people using online dating range from 19 to 89 with a mean of 48 years old. (John M Grohol PsyD, WhoUsesInternet Dating?) Image by Shannah Pace, stock.xchng

11. There is conflicting data on which of the sexes uses online dating more. Image by Stéfan, Flickr

12. One Canadian survey suggests that of those using online dating, there are 37% more men than women, which means for every woman using online dating services, there are more than two men. Worldwide Online Dating Statistics, The Dating Journal (February 20, 2010) Image by siewlian, stock.xchng

13. However, in another study, it was estimated that 58 percent of women in the United States and 48 percent of the men use online dating services. (A Business of Love: Online Dating by the numbers, Visual Economics). Image by Internet Dating Service, Flickr

14. Regardless of who is E-dating, the business of love is booming. In 2007, dating sites earned about $1.03 billion in revenues. (A Business of Love: Online Dating by the numbers, Visual Economics) Image by lolo_stock, stock.xchng

15. In 2012, that figure is expected to climb to $1.65 billion. (A Business of Love: Online Dating by the numbers, Visual Economics) Image by Andi Braun, stock.xchng

16. There are hundreds of online dating sites to choose from each offering a different experience. Image by RFI4109, Flickr

17. Some dating sites, such as PlentyofFish.comandYahoo! Personals allow users to browse through numerous profiles and pick and choose who they would like to contact. Image by Homies In Heaven, Flickr

18. While other dating sites such as Chemistry.com, and eHarmony claim to use sophisticated scientific algorithymsto determine a users compatibility with other users. Image by 123dan321, stock.xchng

19. One of the leading Online Dating sites that uses algorithms, eHarmony, requires customers to answer a 258-question personality test which is used to match them with others based on attributes such as intellect, values, and character. Image by Martin Boose, stock.xchng

20. The success rate of E-dating is fairly difficult to pinpoint. However, one survey found that women are most likely to find a potential relationship online, with 72% admitting to having had an online romance, compared to 52% of men. (James Orat, Online Dating Statistics) Image by yogurt with sprinkles, Flickr

21. Another survey found that 63% of Canadians who have tried E-dating have admitted to having sex with at least one person they met online. Worldwide Online Dating Statistics, The Dating Journal (February 20, 2010) Image by The Kit and the Cub, Flickr

22. Looking for long term? A survey by Match.com. found that 17 percent of those who married in the past three years met online. (Ellen McCarthy, Marriage-minded do better online than at bars, survey claims) Image by bea29sm, stock.xchng

23. So how much is love going for nowadays? Although there are some free online dating sites, increasingly popular sites such as eHarmony.com and Match.com offer their services for $29.99-59.99 per month. Apparently, you CAN buy love! Image by Vea Avernalis, stock.xchng

24. Not impressed by the traditional Online Dating sites, there are alternatives… Image by Derek Kimball, stock.xchng

25. For those on the go with no time to browse through online profiles… There’s an app for that! StreetSpark, which uses GPS and Wi-Fi chips, is a smartphone app that helps you meet potential partners based location. Image by samsungtomorrow, Flickr

26. Many social networking sites also offer dating applications. Zooskis a dating community that works with social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Bebo. Image by Scott Beale/Laughing Squid, Flickr

27. The onlineenvironment is the perfect breeding ground forfantasiesbecause it allows us to ascribe all the wonderful qualities we want in a partner to someone we've never met. (Dr. Phil, Falling in Love Online) Image by The Kit and the Cub, Flickr

28. Experts do warn that caution should be used when using online dating services… Image by kriegs, stock.xchng

29. Unfortunately, online deception is very common and can take a variety of forms, from exaggeration to outright lying. Image by torli, stock.xchng

30. The most common things that people lie about online are weight, height, age, relationship status and income. However, some have estimated that one in 10 online daters is a sex offender. (Love and Dating, Editors of Netscape) Image by Andre Delhaye, Flickr

31. In fact, a California woman recently filed suit against Match.com, who set her up as prey to a violent sexual predator with a long rap sheet. (Molly J. Coombs, Blast Magazine) Image by Jason Morrison, stock.xchng

32. The reality is that E-dating may not be for everyone, but with what you now know... Image by simon thomaschke, stock.xchng

33. Is it for you? By Stacy Shane Posted May 20, 2011 Image by Svilen Milev, stock.xchng