D.C.-area men in bidding war for Valentine’s dates

This isn’t desperate at all. So far, 2,696 Washington-area men have paid good money to place bids on the website WhatsYourPrice, all in hopes of winning of a Valentine's Day date with a local woman, according to a report in The Washington Examiner.

The cost to bid? It’s more than $100, The Examiner reports. But that’s pre-date; winners still are expected to pay the cost of the dinner, as well as accompanying Valentine’s flowers and candy, according to the report.

Check it out. The WhatsYourPrice website itself describes its dating system as three-step: Fill out the profile information. Make an offer — or accept an offer. Then follow up with a message to set a date.

“Once you find the people you’d like to date, ask them out by making an offer. If you’re a generous user, name the price you’re willing to pay for the first date,” WhatsYourPrice says on its site. “And, if you’re an attractive user, name the price you want to get paid for the first date. Our offer negotiating system will allow you to accept an offer, reject an offer, or counter with a different price.”

WhasYourPrice even includes some handy etiquette tips: “Do not pay or ask anyone for payment prior to meeting for a date,” the site suggests. And it warns: “If someone asks you to send money by Western Union, report them immediately.”

The site says its service is very popular. According to The Examiner, it has recorded nearly 370,000 first-time date offers in the weeks leading up to Valentine's Day.

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