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Shaadi.com gets the majority of users through referrals.

Both Tinder & Shaadi.com

• are network effect products.

• have an overlapping target audience.

• are free to try out.

Why did Tinder have no referral success then?

Enter - the "Taboo effect"

For most Indians, Pre-marriage dating is a taboo.

Arranged marriage is a well-accepted social norm.

Every referral has two major components.

1. Referral incentive.

2. Social capital.

For average taboo category tinder users,

Referral incentive they get <<< Social capital they lose.

You put an Rs.1000 cashback on a successful referral for tinder and still get the same result.