I’m the one who got scolded for suggesting a Yahoo Auctions–style “price reduction request.” I also think Leaf’s counterproposal—“I’d like to be able to ask men to raise their offers too”—would be highly effective. Isn’t Universe’s weakness that it still lacks a system for improving the matching rate from both directions? I’d love to hear what the clever people in the back office think, too. Hey, can’t we come up with something?

I’m Saito, the column writer♪ Sorry to jump in. This discussion seems like it could go on forever unless someone brings it to an end, so I thought I’d give my two cents. The man asks for a lower allowance, and even then the woman still reacts like this… The woman (Leaf-san) is perfectly entitled to request a higher allowance, but is this really what happens when someone makes a generous offer? (Sorry, Leaf-san… I’m just using you as an example!) Isn’t this getting a little endless? There’s no point spending money on something that has no end. Even if you increase the matching rate, satisfaction won’t improve if the arrangements don’t continue. Personally speaking, when it comes to continuation rates, I’d say Universe ranks around third compared with other dating clubs. As everyone knows, maintaining an arrangement depends on being able to have a “humble relationship.” But if you’re already discussing lowering or raising the allowance, it probably won’t last very long. Both men and women are real people. That said, someone will ask, “Then why do you have blacklists and rankings?” So this discussion really could go on forever. I’ll end it here…