SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(HISPNAIC PR WIRE - BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 22, 2003--Yahoo!(R) Personals (http://personals.yahoo.com), a leader in the online dating market, kicks off National Singles Week (Sept. 21-27) by releasing the results of an online singles survey. The Yahoo! Personals survey of more than 8,500 singles reveals a number of dating preferences that differ across the regions in the U.S. According to Unmarried America, there are 86 million singles in the U.S. And in recent months, as many as 45 million Americans per month visited online dating sites (ComScore, MMX, May 2003). Yahoo! Personals is also announcing the launch of its nationwide casting call for real people who use Yahoo! Personals to step up and be featured in advertisements for the service.

The Yahoo! Personals survey found that 61 percent of West Coast women and 54% of men are happier about being single than their East Coast counterparts. Although one-fourth of respondents (both men and women) from the West say they are "single and living it up," 75 percent of respondents from coast-to-coast say they are "single, but seriously looking" for their special match.

Singles on the West Coast are the most likely to spend $100 or more on a date while those in the southern and eastern regions of the country spend only $25 to $50.

Where are singles more likely to kiss on the first date? While more than half (53%) of singles surveyed say they typically don't do it, East Coast singles are more likely to lock lips on the first date.

The majority of respondents (63%) for all regions say that personality is the most important trait when deciding whether to go out with someone. Once a date is set, taking the time to look their best is important for both men and women. Eighty percent of women spend an hour or more primping for a date, whereas just more than half (51%) of single men spend one hour getting ready.

Yahoo! Personals will hold a two-week open call beginning today through October 5, 2003 to allow its users to sign-up to be considered for Yahoo! Personals online advertisements. It's part of a promotion called "Project Real People," designed to help real Yahoo! Personals users tell their story of being single in the U.S. Finalists will be announced in early November and then travel to San Francisco to take part in a photo shoot and celebration. Singles can enter by visiting http://personals.yahoo.com/real.

Yahoo! Personals was first introduced in the U.S. in 1997 and has quickly grown to become one of the leading and most popular online dating services available. The service offers a large, dynamic dating scene where users can search for, meet and communicate with a variety of people. Yahoo! Personals launched in Europe in June 2003 with sites in the United Kingdom and Ireland (http://personals.yahoo.co.uk ), France (http://rencontres.yahoo.fr) and Germany (http://dating.yahoo.de).

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading provider of comprehensive online products and services to consumers and businesses worldwide. Yahoo! Is the No. 1 Internet brand globally* and the most trafficked Internet destination worldwide. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Yahoo!'s global network includes 25 world properties and is available in 13 languages.

Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc. All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

-- The majority of men and women (75%) say they are "single but seriously looking." However, when asked, they acknowledge that they rarely get out (39%).

-- Women are slightly more likely than men to say that they are happy being single (51% compared to 48%, respectively). However, of these same women who say they are happy, 75% also say they are seriously looking for a partner.

-- Physical appearance takes a back seat to personality. In fact, the majority of singles (63%) say that personality is the most important trait when deciding whether or not to go out with someone.

-- Men are more likely than women to "fess up" that physical appearance is an important factor when deciding whether or not to go out with someone (22% compared to 14%, respectively).

-- they are more likely than women to date someone they work with (58% compared to 51%), date a friend's ex (33% compared to 20%), and date within their circle of friends (67% compared to 61%, respectively).

-- More women than men prefer to go dutch on a first date (38% vs. 29%), while more men than women (66% vs. 57%) think the person asking should pay for the date.

-- While more than half (53%) of singles surveyed say they typically don't do it, singles on the East Coast are the most likely to lock lips on the first date.

-- It may not be surprising that nearly 80% of women spend an hour or more primping for a date. But who would have thought that more than half (51%) of single men spend one hour getting ready for a date?

-- To deal with those pre-date jitters, women are more likely than men (24% compared to 14%, respectively) to call a best friend or family member to calm their nerves.

-- Nearly 1/3 of singles on the West Coast prefer to take it casual and have coffee on the first date, while more than half of singles in the south (57%) prefer to go to dinner to get to know each other.

-- Big spenders: Singles on the West Coast are the most likely to spend $100 or more on a date! In comparison, the average amount spent in other regions of the country is $25 to $50.

-- The Internet is a popular way to meet people, but 76% of respondents said that the best way to thank someone for a date is the old fashioned way -- picking up the phone.

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