Is anyone encountering a lot of pure time wasters on POF ? I'm considering ditching entirely, not getting decent results vs. time spent browsing it. I'm starting to think it is just like a free video game.

Specifically I am getting very good "banter" type email exchange, she seems very interested, then when I go for the close its "oh i have blah blah to do and I can't see you for 2 weeks" or some bullshit. I basically ask them are we meeting or what, and that's the end.

I could accept that it might be something I am doing, but I am very individualized with each one, no routines or standard emails are being used.

oh definitely. Plenty of fish is bullshit... The girls there are either ugly, or just so psycho they don't respond well to what most women respond would. So its annoying to game, and you don't always have proper feedback. Not only that, but it's too unnatural for girls. Girls like to feel that it was destiny that you met, that it was spontaneous, that it wasn't HER fault, one thing led to another...and blabla bullshit girl fantasies. It goes completely against their biological programming... sometimes when i'm bored ill go on it and say random shit to women, but other than that I don't take it seriously.

I know a LOT of guys who have crazy success with facebook though... it's a high numbers game on facebook but there's quality girls to lay there.

I've gotten tons of girls from POF, OKC, and Match. I normally ask to go 'grab a drink' by the second or third email. If you're emailing back and forth more than that, you're doing it wrong.
Yes, there are the occasional "im out of town for 2 weeks, but I'll call you when I return in April!" excuses, but by and large you shouldn't be having that much trouble landing actual dates.

here is my usual routine:

(opening message from me): Hey, blah blah blah from your profile, ~3 sentences total.

Her: responds, blah.

Me: Respond to some of what she says, but then say something like "I'll tell you about blah blah over a drink. Is tonight or tomorrow better for you?"

10+ times I've sent an opening message to a girl and had them back in my bed that night.

I agree with Brah. That initial texting is just so you grab their attention and you show you aren't a serial child rapist.

After that, if you aren't going to see her in person, you should AT LEAST get her number to give her the comfort she apparently needs.

I met a girl online who lived close to me. I messaged her maybe 3 times and then got her #. I called her and talked to her for a half hour and then I took her out the very same night.

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Don't think you are, know you are.

ok one thing I am not doing is always asking for a phone number, I could change that up. However I did get a phone number and still got one trying to string me on with endless text messages. Then I got another one right after with the "call me in april" BS. Perhaps that was a bad streak, but still I am not getting any results overall.

Just FYI, I am not a young buff college dude, I'm fighting age and a little extra weight.

What you don't have in looks, you have to make up in personality. It can still be done. You just need to calibrate a bit to your environment.

Don't let them string you along with endless text messages. You can text for a short while but then you should just call. After you've called once or twice, you should go out.

It should be boom, boom, boom until you are out on a date. After that, real life connection has been established and you can relax a bit.

Also remember that when dating online you profile does a lot of your talking for you. So what you may think you said nothing wrong may simply be something she read in your profile she didn't like.

In the end, care less about the results and more about how you think it could have been improved. I still wonder how I can improve even if I bring a girl home the same night.

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Don't think you are, know you are.

thanks for reminding me its the process

problem with POF is every time you just give up on getting decent responses you get reeled back in... It's like a cock-tease in website form!