Used Car Salesman

Are you looking for a used car? If so, you might flip through the Auto Finder magazine.

You glance at hundreds of pictures until one catches your eye. Checking out the details to decide if it is a fit: manual, stick, power windows,  etc. Then you read the description.  Has it been driven much? Was the driver a smoker? Does it pull to the right?

Are you looking for someone to date? If so, you might choose to check out a dating website. 

You glance at hundreds of pictures until one catches your eye. Checking out the details to decide if it is a fit: is he tall, fit, smoker,  got 9 kids, etc.  Then you read the description.  Is he a nerd? Bad boy? Go out all the time or a homebody? 

That's about how dating websites feel. You are selling your self as a used car. It has its pros and cons.

Pros:
Meet people you would not otherwise
Gather information about them (as provided by them) to determine if a good fit
Weed people out that you do not feel are a good fit before you waste time or money meeting them
You don't have to meet in person until you are comfortable

Cons:
You must advertise yourself which can be very difficult
You lose the ability to win a stranger over with your quick wit
Some people may want to talk forever and never actually meet

Let's talk free vs. sites you pay for. Free sites have all sorts of people on there looking. They could be looking for a wife or just a hook up. Pay sites are typically going to be people who want a relationship.  They want it,  and they are willing to pay to find it. Unfortunately,  anyone can set up a profile on most pay sites. Meaning they set up a profile but now you cannot communicate with them. You have to decide what you are willing to go through to find what you are looking for.