Dr. Pepper – as far as I understand, sawyouatsinai is a generic “Jewish” dating site with YUConnects being a YU segment of that that will presumably not match you to shiksas or apikoiresim. It provides access for shadchanim, whether professional or amateur. I suspect that many of them are just interested yiddishe mamas. I don’t think this service is used wide enough in observant communities, maybe more in more modern, but still not enough.
There needs to be a “network” effect for something to work – shadchanim that talk to each other have more clients.
> whats wrong with creating a barrier to new entrants?
that’s an old question. In middle ages, and before, there were guilds in each area ensuring limited service to keep prices high (and, presumably, quality too). Bava Basra describes such a situation and seems to conclude that if there is a talmid chacham, then he should decide, otherwise guild members are free to establish their rules and slash the tires (skins in that case) of those who break the rules.
Halakha also lists exceptions when unlimited competition is allowed – teaching and selling perfume. In both cases, benefit to customers (students and poor women) is so important that loss of income by the sellers is allowed. I would reason that shidduchim are in the same category (affecting both Torah students and poor girls ๐ for marrying people, not for providing income to shadchanim.
re: loading resumes
Advertising directly might work, but will create an unhealthy situation with shadchanim bad-mouthing the service and probably lining up rabbis who will pasken against. I am thinking of buying them out – by paying for the data or by outcome on their customers, lederech shalom.