CHARLESTON, S.C., Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — QuicksortRx, a technology company helping health systems improve pharmacy purchasing and reduce medication costs, has announced that its clients have achieved over $100 million in medication cost savings through the platform since the company launched in late 2018.
Founded by pharmacists and technologists from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), QuicksortRx empowers health systems to instantly assess medication price, availability, and purchasing trends across multiple facilities. By streamlining pharmaceutical market analysis, QuicksortRx clients use the business intelligence platform to drive faster, more informed decisions and to improve efficiency in medication procurement.
The $100 million figure represents realized savings tracked by health systems using QuicksortRx to identify and operationalize changes in their medication procurement. Savings are most often achieved by health system pharmacy staff acting on insights from the platform to optimize product selection, identify and correct contract issues, and target strategic 340B interventions. The platform monitors initiatives identified and executed by the health system in real time, capturing savings as they are achieved.
“Having spent my entire career before QuicksortRx at MUSC, I know the financial constraints hospitals work under,” said Jonathan Yantis, CEO and Co-Founder of QuicksortRx. “There are limited resources to go around to important projects that affect lives. The impetus for QuicksortRx was to help free up capital that could be more efficiently invested in patient care. It’s difficult to put into words what it means to know we have enabled non-profit health systems to redeploy over $100 million into initiatives that benefit their communities. It feels really good.”
QuicksortRx began as a project when Yantis, an MUSC network engineer, teamed up with Matt Hebbard and MUSC’s pharmacy department to develop software that would help the health system better manage their medication spend. In the early stages of the platform’s development, the inventors envisioned a solution that could be used outside MUSC.
“We knew other pharmacy departments were struggling with this work just like we were,” said Hebbard, Vice President of Pharmacy and Co-Founder of QuicksortRx. “From the outset, Jonathan had the mentality that we could scale and share this solution to grow its positive impact. It’s amazing to know what we built to help our own hospital is helping others in the same way.”
Today, the platform helps more than 30 health systems manage over $8 billion in annual hospital pharmacy spend. To support its rapid growth, QuicksortRx recently moved to a larger corporate headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina. The company has plans to add more than 40 new team members over the next three years to help further scale services and maintain QuicksortRx’s high-touch customer support.
“These savings would not have been possible without our amazing team and incredible clients,” says Hebbard. “They are real experts who share our passion for bringing positive change to this industry and for reducing the cost of quality healthcare.”
Yantis adds, “One hundred million dollars represents a lot of work within and outside of our team at QuicksortRx. We are incredibly grateful to the people who have trusted and had faith in us along this journey. Thank you to these health systems for rolling up your sleeves with us and putting in the work. This milestone is your accomplishment as well.”
About QuicksortRx
QuicksortRx Inc. was founded by pharmacists and technologists from the Medical University of South Carolina who understand the potential in health system supply chains and develop key solutions to unlock it. QuicksortRx provides real-time purchasing oversight, analytics, and savings tools to minimize medication costs without impacting operations or agreements. For more information, visit QuicksortRx.com.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C., Jan. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Hilton Head Insurance & Brokerage, a leading provider in comprehensive insurance for home, auto, boat, business & more, announced it will launch The Insurance & Brokerage House in Charleston to serve that area. The company has hired Greer Narowski to pioneer the new division.
Narowski is a licensed insurance producer who excels in customer service and time management. Also task oriented, her experience in the retail industry as a store manager for The North Face and Michael Kors gave her the wherewithal to build client relationships. Listening to her clients is her number one priority.
Narowski is backed by the decades of experience and professionalism of Hilton Head Insurance & Brokerage, located in Hilton Head and Bluffton, SC. With over 60 years of combined experience and a team of professionals, the firm offers custom insurance plans at an affordable price for those looking to insure their home, car, boat, business, and more. With an emphasis on empathy and listening to their clients, the firm’s assets are in line with Narowski’s skill sets and priorities — making the partnership a perfect match.
“We started as a small, family-owned and operated business,” said Hilton Head Insurance & Brokerage’s co-owner, Jeff Hedden. “We quickly saw the growth opportunities. There is often a void in the industry for businesses to act in their client’s best interest with the right combination of empathy and strategy. Charleston is the logical next step.”
When asked what attracted her to the insurance industry, Narowski cited her business relationship and friendship with William Voelkel in the Hilton Head office, as well as her desire to expand her workplace experience. “I am a hard worker and have always been in the customer service industry.”
With a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Poppy, and her husband of five years, Allan, the family enjoy their time on the local playgrounds, potluck dinners with their friends, home renovation projects, and adventures out of the state to National Parks.
Narowski is a graduate of The College of Charleston with a BA in Historic Preservation and Community Planning.
Those looking for a home, auto, boat, business, or other insurance policy or looking to save on an existing policy, contact Greer Narowski at Greer@hhiandb.com.
The Averly Collins Hill will Kick Off Lawrenceville Gateway Project
ATLANTA, Jan. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — ECI Group (ECI), with joint venture partner, The Griffin Fund, has started construction on The Averly Collins Hill, a $76 million, eight-building, 300-unit, Class A apartment development on 22 acres at 700 Collins Road in Lawrenceville, GA. ECI Construction is the general contractor and construction financing was provided by Synovus.
The three-story, garden-style residences will complement a planned 55+ active adult housing and a commercial component to be developed by others in the Lawrenceville Gateway development. The Averly Collins Hill will deliver concurrently with the nearby 15-story Northside Hospital Gwinnett tower that is bringing 3,000-5,000 jobs to its location.
“ECI is excited to partner once again with The Griffin Fund to build premier housing near downtown Lawrenceville,” said ECI Vice President of Development, Stephen Stover. “We very much appreciate the collaboration and support we received from the City of Lawrenceville, particularly Mayor David Still, City Manager Chuck Warbington, and Planning and Development Director, Todd Hargrave. With their perspective and vision, The Averly Collins Hill will provide residents coming to the City for its jobs, amenities, schools, and resources with convenient and quality housing in a mixed-use neighborhood.”
The $46 million construction loan provided by Synovus comes amidst a challenging financing environment. Seth Greenberg, ECI Group CEO, added, “We are particularly appreciative of the confidence that Synovus demonstrated in this well-located and thoughtfully conceived development, providing ECI with the construction financing needed to start this project immediately and in the best window for delivery.”
The Averly Collins Hill will feature:
7,000 square foot clubhouse with clubroom, gathering spaces, fitness center, and remote work area
Large dog play area
Expansive pool with cabanas and extensive greenery and landscaping
Coffee bar
One, two, and three-bedroom floor plans feature open-concept design, with full-size washers and dryers as well as:
Luxury wood-style flooring
Quartz countertops with undermount sinks
White shaker-style cabinetry
Designer lighting and plumbing fixtures
Large walk-in closets
Tiled kitchen backsplashes and bathroom surrounds
Stainless steel appliances
Private porch or balcony in every unit
Ceiling fans in bedrooms and living area
The Averly Collins Hill is located adjacent to University Parkway (SR-316) and Collins Hill Road and within walking distance of an existing Walmart Supercenter-anchored shopping center. Major local employers include Northside Hospital Gwinnett, Georgia Gwinnett College, and the 2,000-acre Rowan technology and research project.
About ECI Group For more than 50 years, ECI Group has been one of the most highly regarded, privately owned real estate organizations in the United States. The firm is fully integrated, with development, construction, brokerage, and management groups that have garnered national recognition for innovation and performance in the multifamily industry. With a portfolio of more than 7,500 units located throughout the Southeast, ECI is strategically positioned to continue to be a leader in the multifamily industry. For more information, visit www.ecigroups.com.
About The Griffin Fund The Griffin Fund is a leading Real Estate investment fund focused on acquisitions, development, management and financing for Real Estate projects predominantly in the Multifamily sector. Working with Real Estate owners, developers and top global institutional partners, The Griffin Fund has achieved success and unparalleled returns for its investors over the past decade and recently completed fundraising for its fourth Real Estate investment fund.
Editor’s note: Cedric Clark, Executive Vice President, Store Operations, Walmart U.S., sent the following note to Walmart U.S. store managers. On Jan. 29, John Furner, President and CEO, Walmart U.S., announced an expansion of these investments to include an annual stock grant of up to $20,000.
Making Walmart the best place to shop means we need to make it the best place to work. To accomplish that, we are on a journey of investing in our associates – from offering competitive front-line pay to benefits that support associates’ health and well-being in all aspects of life.
Today, we take the next step in this journey. We’re increasing our commitment to you with an investment in store manager wages and a redesigned bonus program. As you know, your pay is made up of two parts: base pay and annual bonus. We’re updating both.
First, base pay. We’re simplifying and increasing store manager wages. With this investment and upcoming annual increases, the store manager average salary will go from $117,000 to $128,000 a year.
Second, we’re redesigning our store manager bonus program. In addition to sales, your store’s profit will play a bigger role in calculating your annual bonus. If you hit all targets, your bonus could now be up to 200% of your base salary.
The number one driver of job satisfaction is an associate’s manager, and we believe that you –our front-line leaders– are the best in retail. Not only are you responsible for exceeding customer expectations day in and day out; each of you is the CEO of a multimillion-dollar business. And you’re the driving force behind the development of our next generation of leaders.
We see an investment in you as an investment in our culture, our core values and in the day-to-day experience of every associate in every store. Investing in you is an investment in our future.
I’m proud Walmart is making this investment following last year’s increase in starting pay for stores. As a result of those investments in front-line hourly associates and upcoming annual increases, our U.S. average hourly wage will soon exceed $18.
Most of you – approximately 75% of our field management teams – began your Walmart careers in the hourly ranks. So did I. My Walmart career started as a sporting goods hourly associate in Washington state. I was able to grow my career because people invested in me. I know firsthand that the possibilities are endless when working at Walmart. And the possibilities are endless for you and for everyone you lead every day.
This investment is about belief. We believe in you. We believe you’re the keepers of our culture today while you’re also helping to identify and grow the future leaders of our company. You’re the reason our associates can build something special working at Walmart – just like many of us have. You make the difference, and we could not be more excited to continue this journey with you.
Deep Sea Vision Sonar Image May Unlock One of the Greatest Mysteries in Aviation History
CHARLESTON, S.C., Jan. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — After an extensive deep-water search, a talented group of underwater archaeologists and marine robotics experts have unveiled a sonar image that may answer the greatest modern mystery – the disappearance of Amelia Earhart.
Captured westward of Earhart’s projected landing point, in a swath of the Pacific untouched by known wrecks, the image reveals contours that mirror the unique dual tails and scale of her storied aircraft. Deep Sea Vision (DSV), a Charleston, South Carolina-based marine robotics company led by CEO Tony Romeo, was pursuing the missing aircraft using the “Date Line theory” of her disappearance nearly 87 years ago. Originally theorized in 2010 by Liz Smith, a former NASA employee and amateur pilot, the Date Line theory attributes Earhart’s disappearance to simply forgetting to turn the calendar back one day as she flew over the International Date Line. Smith suggested that Amelia’s navigator, Fred Noonan, miscalculated his celestial star navigation by simply forgetting to turn back the date from July 3 to July 2 as they flew across the Date Line, creating a westward navigational error of 60 miles.
As a private pilot, DSV’s CEO Tony Romeo and his brother Lloyd Romeo believed the idea had merit and began digging deeper into the celestial math Smith had laid out. The Romeos came to believe that after 17 hours of exhausting flying it was quite plausible that Earhart’s navigator Fred Noonan could have made such an error. The theory and area described by Smith had never been searched – until now.
Romeo was not surprised to find the aircraft intact, saying, “We always felt that she [Earhart] would have made every attempt to land the aircraft gently on the water, and the aircraft signature that we see in the sonar image suggests that may be the case.” Romeo hopes they can answer that question very soon. “We’re thrilled to have made this discovery at the tail end of our expedition, and we plan to bring closure to a great American story.”
The Deep Sea Vision team, a diverse group of experts, proved that diligent efforts and next-generation technology could take on the monumental task of finding Earhart’s Lockheed Electra. For 90 days, the DSV team searched across 5,200 square miles of the Pacific Ocean floor, more than all previous searches combined. Their secret weapon, the HUGIN 6000, is an autonomous underwater marvel, modified by their own hands to outperform any underwater submersible used before. It is the most capable system available in the world, able to reach full ocean depth. DSV further improved the equipment by modifying the side scan sonar to search nearly 1,600-meter-wide swaths instead of the normal 450 meters. The changes were made possible by DSV President of Operations, Craig Wallace, who Romeo recruited directly from the sonar manufacturer to help put the expedition together.
The team launched the expedition out of a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean about a four-day cruise from where the discovery was made. Each dive of the sonar equipment lasted nearly two days and collected several terabytes of data scanning the sea floor. The international team worked around the clock, analyzing the imagery using cutting edge software that was being written as the mission went along. Their discovery, made at the conclusion of the expedition, was a testament to technological triumph and the unyielding pursuit of closure for an American icon.
Earhart’s fate has been the source of speculation and conspiracy theories since her mysterious disappearance in 1937. She remains a defining icon of her generation, women’s rights and a pioneering spirit of early aviation. DSV believes they are one step away from closure to this great mystery and will be keeping all other information, including the exact location, strictly confidential. While Romeo is very optimistic about their find, he acknowledges that there was a great deal of internal debate about whether to release the sonar image publicly. Many prominent authorities have been working to validate DSV’s findings, including Dorothy Cochrane, Aeronautics Curator at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, who stated, “We are intrigued with DSV’s initial imagery and believe it merits another expedition in the continuing search for Amelia Earhart’s aircraft near Howland Island.”
Unlocking the mystery of Earhart’s whereabouts is one of several projects for Romeo and Deep Sea Vision. The investment they spent to launch the company is already leading to more exciting projects. DSV has already concluded a yet to be announced project in the Pacific and is currently providing their technology for a longer-term project in Australia.
About Deep Sea Vision
Deep Sea Vision is a marine robotics company specializing in deep ocean exploration and survey. With the latest variant of the HUGIN 6000, Deep Sea Vision owns the most advanced autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) commercially available. Deep Sea Vision was founded by Tony Romeo, a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, and led by Operations Chief, Craig Wallace, who was the former HUGIN product manager at Kongsberg Maritime. Deep Sea Vision is aiming to become the market leader in mineral exploration and habitat mapping over the next decade.
For all the fans of Verde and their fresh greens, we have some very exciting news! Verde has officially opened a new location in North Charleston at 4731 Mixson Avenue (Park Circle).
Come on out and get your nutrition on.
Hours: Monday – Sunday – 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Location: 4731 Mixson Avenue, North Charleston, SC
Company introduces reimagined checkout and guest checkout experiences, new advanced offers platform for merchants, and new consumer app to earn cash back and give customers more reasons to shop with PayPal
New Venmo enhancements enable local small businesses to be discovered and grow
SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL) today announced six new innovations the company is piloting and bringing to market this year to revolutionize commerce through artificial intelligence (AI) driven personalization for both merchants and consumers. During the PayPal First Look keynote, Alex Chriss, President and CEO, introduced: a completely new PayPal checkout experience that radically speeds up check out for consumers and helps merchants convert transactions like never before; Fastlane by PayPal, a dramatically faster and smarter guest checkout experience; Smart Receipts, giving customers AI-personalized recommendations from merchants to keep them coming back; the PayPal advanced offers platform so merchants can provide relevant, personalized, real-time offers to consumers and drive more sales; a reinvented PayPal consumer app giving shoppers new ways to earn cash back and more reasons to use PayPal; and, Venmo’s enhanced business profiles, so small businesses can find and engage new customers, and grow their businesses.
PayPal President and CEO, Alex Chriss, at PayPal First Look, introducing six innovations the company is piloting and bringing to market this year to revolutionize commerce.
“PayPal is on a mission to revolutionize commerce, globally, and today we are starting the next chapter,” said Alex Chriss, President and CEO, PayPal. “With nearly 400 million consumer accounts, and 35 million merchant accounts, PayPal handles transactions for about a quarter of the world’s e-commerce transactions each year, but more importantly, shoppers trust PayPal to power their payments.”
Chriss continued, “PayPal is introducing six new innovations that will not only solve real customer pain points, but we believe will change the world of payments and commerce. From new solutions for merchants to speed up checkout and personalize offers, to a new consumer app that will give our loyal customers more reasons to shop with PayPal, to the next generation of Venmo designed to be the growth platform for local small businesses, PayPal has always brought the future of money to our consumers and merchants and today marks the next revolution.”
With digital commerce expected to exceed $6 trillion in 20241, merchants need new, advanced ways to speed consumers through checkout in a seamless way that reduces lost sales. Additionally, consumers are continuously looking to stretch their budgets and get as much value while shopping as possible. PayPal’s global scale and extensive data set, combined with the power of AI, will deliver the next generation of value for both consumers and merchants.
Transforming Checkout
Checkout is the last interaction between a consumer and a merchant, and while it seems so simple, any friction can disrupt the moment. Business owners want to focus on the next sale and consumers are looking to remove any annoying interruptions like password prompts or lagging response times. To address this, PayPal has massively accelerated the checkout process to get customers to choose PayPal, integrate passkeys to enable customers to log in with their face or fingerprint with one tap, and to improve latency. In fact, this will reduce latency by as much as 50%2, and enable customers to check out twice as fast, all with the same level of security and trust they have come to expect from PayPal. Additionally, the new PayPal checkout will also leverage AI to get smarter and faster over time.
Introducing Fastlane by PayPal
Merchants are losing out on sales because the guest checkout process is both slow and cumbersome. Additionally, shoppers do not often sign in or sign up while browsing, and when they are ready to check out, they must find their password, update their credit card information, or shipping address. To help, PayPal is introducing Fastlane by PayPal, a new one-click guest checkout experience that merchants using PayPal’s platform will be able to offer their shoppers, allowing them to make a fast and painless purchase. Customers simply save their information with Fastlane to check out in as little as one tap. No username or password to remember, no personal information to update, and no need to share a credit card with businesses all over the web.
PayPal has been piloting Fastlane by PayPal with a group of merchants and are seeing astounding early results. Select merchants on BigCommerce, a leading open software-as-a-service (SaaS) ecommerce platform and longtime PayPal partner, have seen early results showing that Fastlane can recognize 70% of guests3 and accelerated checkout speeds of nearly 40% compared to a traditional guest checkout process.4
Introducing PayPal Smart Receipts
Merchants want to incentivize customers to come back, and consumers want to find the best deals, so PayPal is eliminating the guesswork for both with the introduction of Smart Receipts. When consumers shop with PayPal, they will receive a receipt that allows them to not only track their purchase, but also harnesses AI to predict what they may want to buy next from that merchant. As a result, now merchants will be able to include a personalized recommendation along with a cashback reward offer on the receipt.
As almost 45% of PayPal customers globally open their email receipts everyday5 – an incredible open rate – this could mean tens of millions of merchants and hundreds of millions of consumers seeing timely, hyper-relevant recommendations and rewards in these receipts. This increases the opportunities for merchants to re-engage directly with their customers, increasing the probability of repeat shopping and business growth.
PayPal is also leveraging AI-powered suggestions that are based on shopper behavior data, combined with the scale of what PayPal can see across the web. Through personalized AI, PayPal is giving any sized merchant the power of being one of the largest retailers in the world.
Introducing PayPal Advanced Offers Platform
Today, when consumers shop online their experience includes ads generated by their browsing behavior only, which can be irrelevant and frustrating. In response, PayPal will use unique customer insights to build a dynamic, truly personalized advanced offers platform giving merchants the ability to reach customers based on what they have actually bought across the internet, down to the stock keeping unit (SKU) and the individual product. This new, performance-based offers platform has the potential to use AI to organize and analyze data from nearly half a trillion dollars’ worth of merchant transactions globally6. The platform will also allow merchants to customize offers for customers, and merchants will only pay for performance, not impressions or clicks. For PayPal consumers, it means they will get more relevant offers, and more opportunities to earn rewards.
PayPal is also building transparent, easy-to-use privacy controls so if a customer does not want their data shared with merchants to personalize their shopping experience – they can opt in or out.
Reinventing the PayPal app
PayPal is also reinventing the PayPal app to give loyal customers even more reasons to shop and pay with PayPal every day. Too often consumers are served the top items from the largest merchants that can afford to buy the best search terms. Additionally, consumers are still feeling the inflationary pinch and looking for ways to spend smarter and find the best deals. This is why PayPal is introducing CashPass to give customers access to hundreds of exciting, personalized cash back offers from top brands in the U.S. A user will simply need to tap on the offer, shop at that business, and check out with PayPal. CashPass uses AI to organize personalized offers for customers based on shopping behaviors, and customers will regularly discover new cash back offers giving them more reasons to visit the app.
Starting in March, PayPal is planning to launch CashPass with an amazing set of launch partners, so consumers can access offers from merchants such as Best Buy, eBay, McDonald’s, Priceline, Ticketmaster, Uber, and Walmart.
PayPal CashPass users will also be able to stack with other PayPal rewards such as cash back from the PayPal Cashback Mastercard®. Users can then put cash back into a PayPal Savings account and earn more on top.
Introducing the Next Generation of Venmo Business Profiles
Venmo introduced business profiles in 2021 to provide an affordable and easy way for businesses to accept payments and grow their business and has grown to a community of more than 90 million active accounts. Small businesses rely on word-of-mouth, social media, and reviews on other sites for referrals. It can be difficult to stand out on social media, and one bad review can set their business back. Venmo is solving this by introducing enhanced Venmo business profiles to help small businesses be discovered like never before. The next evolution of business profiles will add subscribe buttons, profile rankings, and the ability to offer promotions to consumers, bringing powerful new ways for businesses to drive traffic, generate sales, and more meaningfully grow their business through increased visibility in the Venmo app.
For consumers, they will be able to discover top-ranked businesses endorsed by their network and enjoy cashback deals when supporting local businesses in their community. No other mobile payment service has a social feed as active, useful and as personal as Venmo, and this is a revolution in providing real-time offers and promotions at a hyper-local level for small businesses. The same type of privacy controls will be available on Venmo, as on PayPal.
All of these new experiences will begin rolling out in the United States throughout 2024.
1 Insider Intelligence, “Ecommerce growth worldwide will pick up before tapering off,” Aug. 23, 2023 2 Based on PayPal internal data from October to November 2023. 3 Based on PayPal internal data from October 1 to November 2, 2023. 4 Based on PayPal Internal data from November 2 to November 18, 2023. 5 Based on PayPal internal data from November 1, 2023 to January 8, 2024. 6 Based on PayPal internal data from Global Branded XO TPV for the 12-month period between Dec’22 to Nov’23.
About PayPal
PayPal has remained at the forefront of the digital commerce revolution for more than 25 years. By leveraging technology to make sending money and shopping more convenient, affordable, and secure, the PayPal platform is empowering hundreds of millions of consumers and merchants in more than 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy. For more information, visit https://www.paypal.com, https://about.pypl.com/ and https://investor.pypl.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information relate to future events and future performance and reflect, among other things, PayPal’s plans with respect to product innovation. Forward looking statements may be identified by words such as “seek”, “believe”, “plan”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “project”, “forecast”, or intend”, and statements that an event or result “may”” “will”, “should”, “could”, or “might” occur or be achieved and any other similar expressions.
Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. More information about these and other factors can be found in PayPal Holdings, Inc.’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and its future filings with the SEC.
The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. PayPal expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Singles Say Better Sex Ed Leads to Healthier Relationships
Finances Rank as Top Stressor for 2nd Year in a Row
More Than 4 in 10 Young Singles Think AI Can Increase Partner Selection and Compatibility
DALLAS, Jan. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Match today released findings from its 13th annual Singles in America study, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive annual scientific study of single adults, more than one-third of the U.S. adult population. This year’s study asked a national representative sample of 5,000+ singles their thoughts on dating and AI, non-monogamous relationships, comprehensive sex education, and more. Having run annually over the past 13 years, the study encompasses insights from 70,000 singles to date, showcasing major trends and new developments in sex, love and marriage.
“Single Americans are ushering in new trends in dating, demonstrating the influence and impact of their substantial demographic,” said Dr. Justin Garcia, Scientific Advisor to Match and Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute. “Findings show that singles are adapting to some of our most significant social and political challenges, by seeking financial stability in partners to getting serious about accurate education on sexuality and relationships. Despite the political rancor over sex education, the data shows that most singles haven’t received sex ed from reliable sources, with nearly half of single adults today saying that proper education would lead to happier and healthier relationships. Today’s singles are hungry for tools to help them find and maintain human connection.”
Singles Call Out For Better Sex…Ed
Nearly half of singles (44%) report that more sex ed (i.e. learning more about and communicating what you want, gender identity, consent, sexual orientation) in their younger years would have enabled them to have healthier and happier relationships today.
In newly released findings exploring America’s sex ed dilemma, singles report that if they had received more information on sex ed topics early on they would:
Have more sexual confidence now (40%)
Know how to talk about sex with partners (32%)
Know how to date more effectively (30%)
While singles report having received sex ed on concepts like reproduction (91%), puberty (89%), pregnancies (89%), testing/preventing STIs (84%), and abstinence (77%), they also identified key areas of intimacy where they didn’t receive sex ed, including:
How to talk about what you want (39%)
Gender identity (38%)
How to talk about sex in general (35%)
How to give and ask for consent (31%)
How to establish and/or discuss sexual orientation (26%)
When it comes to their sources of information on sex, singles have more often learned about sex from inconsistent and unreliable sources, including peers and pornography:
How to have a positive or healthy romantic relationship: 25% learned about this from friends/peers, 26% from family, 24% learned somewhere else; while 7% learned from school.
Sexual orientation: 31% learned about this from friends/peers, 16% from family, 28% learned somewhere else ; while 18% learned from school.
Consent: 25% learned about this from friends/peers, 18% from family, 25% learned somewhere else; while 17% learned from school.
Monogamy has Staying Power
“Polyamory and other forms of sexual exploration are thriving. But this practice is far from undermining traditional monogamy—it’s enhancing it. These singles say their sexual adventures have given them meaningful insights into what they really want in a long-term, stable partnership. In fact, nearly 50% of singles still want a traditional sexually-monogamous relationship. This cultural trend can’t kill the human drive to find the one,” says Dr. Helen Fisher, Match’s Chief Scientific Advisor.
Half (49%) of singles say that traditional sexual monogamy is their ideal sexual relationship. But nearly 1/3 of singles (31%) have had a consensually non-monogamous relationship at some point – 16% of whom saying they would have a non-monogamous relationship again in the future. Among those who have practiced non-monogamy, singles reported the diverse relationship structures involved:
Monogamish (21%): Committed relationship that allows sexual variety with others
Polyamory (11%): Where relationship partners agree they may have a romantic relationship with other people
Open relationships (13%): A committed primary relationship that openly allows for romantic and/or sexual activity with other
Swinging (12%): Expanding an exclusive romantic relationship to seek out other sexual partners together
Many singles who have engaged in consensual non-monogamy felt the experience had a positive impact on their dating life:
38% say their non-monogamous experiences have made them better understand what they do and don’t want and need in a relationship
30% of single people report becoming more open sexually
29% say they became more emotionally mature
27% say they were able to have more frequent sex
But not every single American is expanding their sex life. Just over one in five of today’s singles (21%) state that they don’t want a sexual relationship right now.
PS. AI Love You
“A new trend is emerging: Artificial Intelligence is helping singles connect more effectively. 14% of online daters have already used AI for dating. And that’s most likely just the beginning––because 32% of these men and women say that AI has helped them get better matches and meet potential partners faster,” says Dr. Helen Fisher. “AI is positioned to become a vital new tool for finding love.”
How are daters using AI?
AI in dating is still in early stages, with 6% of all single daters using AI in their dating life.
43% of AI users used the technology to write their dating app profile
37% of AI users used it to help them write a first message
How efficient do daters find AI? Of those who have harnessed AI for dating:
27% reported that using AI helped them get better matches
26% received more matches using AI
While the ancients relied on Cupid, 1/3 of all singles surveyed, including 43% of young singles, think AI can be their matchmaker, capable of assessing partnership compatibility.
When asked what they would want from AI when it comes to dating:
34% want help sorting their matches
29% want help creating their profile
30% want help coming up with conversation topics on a date
Singles Seek Savers
Americans’ social lives respond to an unpredictable economy. For the second year in a row, singles listed money issues as their top stressors: Personal day-to-day finances (24%) topped the list, followed closely by concerns over the economy and also over inflation (both at 21%). But singles are also ushering in new norms for managing these money-related stressors: 64% of singles say they have a monthly budget, and 73% of singles say a potential partner’s financial stability is important to them. The days of not discussing finances on a date are long gone.
Dating Gets the Gen Z Glow Up
Gen Z is feeling pressure in life when it comes to the economy, their careers, and their mental health, but less so when it comes to dating: 90% of Gen Z feel significant stress, specifically due to their finances (24%), physical health (22%), and mental health (22%), while their dating lives fall lower on the list (16%).
This generation of singles is working on themselves, know what they want in a long term partner, and believe in marriage and the future of relationships:
45% of Gen Z singles have been working to better their mental health
57% were interested in attending a therapy session or had already done so this year, compared to 48% last year
39% say their physical health is poor or fair, but 41% are working to improve this
58% report they feel lonely on a typical day
57% want to get married
83% believe they can have a lifelong marriage
78% have been passionately in love
64% want a partner who wants to marry
57% want a partner who wants children
Relationship and Dating Discourse
“Boundaries,” “trauma,” “feeling triggered,” “gaslighting” – therapy language has infiltrated dating conversations, but singles think you can take it too far!
1 in 3 singles (33%)—regardless of age or gender—feel that therapy speak is a mixed bag: it can be useful, but can also be detrimental
Nearly 40% of young singles think that therapy language promotes a better understanding of mental health (vs. 28% of Gen X, 20% of Boomers)
Healthy Relationships: Singles identified their top three most important factors in a healthy romantic relationship as trust, effective communication, and mutual respect.
Past Relationships Prove to be Stepping Stones to Better Future Relationships: 76% of singles reported that their past dating experiences helped define who they are today, and what they want in future relationships.
To help shape future relationships, singles are counting on a wide variety of important resources for dating advice, including:
Friends: 65%
Family: 46%
Therapist: 26%
1 in 10 asked an ex-partner
23% of Gen Z turn to influencers/content creators (vs. 19% Millennials, 10% Gen X, 11% Boomers)
Singles at the Ballot Box
With adult singles representing over 1/3 of the U.S. population, 2024 election candidates and pollsters may be overlooking the power of the single voter. 14% of all singles don’t plan to vote in the upcoming presidential election, a figure that jumps to one in five of Gen Z singles (20%).
The overturning of Roe v. Wade has impacted the dating and sex lives of nearly 9 in 10 singles (87% of daters under age 50) since the 2022 ruling to reverse the landmark legislation, a jump from 78% last year. How have singles been impacted?
12% of singles say they feel more hesitant to date and 11% report having sex less often. 10% of singles feel more nervous or anxious during sex (9% of men, 12% of women, while 13% say they are more afraid of getting pregnant or getting someone else pregnant. 13% of singles (14% of men and 12% of women) also report using condoms more often since the overturning.
22% of singles say abortion legislation will completely determine their vote (including 26% of women, 18% of men; 30% of Democrats, 20% of Republicans and Libertarians, 19% Independents, and 14% of singles with no political affiliation)
70% of singles say a candidate’s view on abortion will have some impact on how they will vote
Overall, 60% of singles report being pro-choice, while 23% are pro-life/anti-abortion
“American Singles are reckoning with the impact of Roe v Wade and abortion legislation on their lives, with these startling findings showing that legislation has entered people’s bedrooms to alter behavior, comfort, pleasure, and the meaning of intimacy in today’s relationships,” said Dr. Justin Garcia.
To see the full findings, including additional demographic breakdowns, please visit: www.SinglesinAmerica.com
About Singles in America
Singles in America (SIA) is funded by Match and conducted by Dynata in association with renowned anthropologist Dr. Helen Fisher and evolutionary biologist Dr. Justin Garcia of The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University. The 2023 study is based on the attitudes and behaviors taken from a demographically representative sample of 5,305 U.S. singles between the ages of 18 to 98. Generations are defined as: Gen Z (18-26), Millennials (27-42), Gen X (43-58), and Boomers (59+). Young singles are defined as the combination of Gen Z and Millennials. Singles in America remains the most comprehensive annual scientific survey of single Americans.
The moment you step into Lounge With Us, James Island’s newest boutique, located in Merchants Village between Publix and Obrion’s Pub, you are swept away by tranquil aromas, a wonderland of pink and an assortment of products to bring a smile to anyone’s face. This wonderfully curated boutique offers loungewear (tee-shirts, dresses, pants), jewelry, intimates, customized cups, cards, candles and so much more.
From Dolly to Willie to Taylor, Lounge With Us is truly a remarkably fun and inviting shopping experience for yourself, a gift or just a light pamper.
Here is all you need to know about the new boutique on James Island and its fabulous owner Erin Yates.
What is Lounge with Us?
Lounge With Us is Charleston’s premier online & in-person boutique delivering real comfort to real women in real situations through lifestyle, loungewear, and lingerie. But what does that really mean? For starters, our vision is to be where comfort meets confidence, where work meets life, and where all can lounge with us. We believe that beauty is a feeling, not just a feature, compassion is an action, not just a thought, and growth is a process, not just a destination. Lounge With Us sells the most loungetastic slow-fashion out there while also advocating lounge as a lifestyle.
South Carolina native, mother to Dolly the Frenchie, and Lounge-aholic, Erin Yates launched Lounge With Us in December 2020 from the comfort of her own home. Prior to following in the entrepreneurial footsteps of her family, Erin worked in the lingerie industry for nearly 10 years and women’s shoes before that, learning exactly what comfort really means to women.
After meeting so many different types of women and having oodles of conversations regarding body image in the dressing rooms she felt it was her time to provide real women with the real comfort and confidence they deserve.
With this, she quit her job in the midst of the pandemic and has spent every day since working towards just that: delivering real comfort to real women in real situations through loungewear, lifestyle, and longevity.
Alongside her mother, Brenda Yates, the two travel across the U.S. to hand pick the softest, comfiest sleep, lounge & daywear imaginable.
So, whether you are sitting in a virtual boardroom behind your computer, boarding an 8-hour flight headed straight to a business meeting, welcoming new neighbors over for the backyard BBQ, or sipping wine watching The Golden Girls or The Bachelor, we have thought of it all and want you to still feel confident, powerful, and beautiful whilst doing so. Because guess what? You are.
A Berkeley County distribution center has announced plans to close by the middle of the year.
Fruit of the Loom’s 750,000-square-foot distribution center in Summerville will begin the closing process March 22, impacting 119 workers.
The closing announcement was listed on Tuesday’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification report from the state Department of Employment and Workforce.
Fruit of the Loom spokesperson Melanie Cressman said the closing process will take several months and should be finished by July 1.
“As a global Company operating in a highly competitive marketplace, Fruit of the Loom, Inc., is constantly analyzing its business to ensure we remain as competitive as possible,” Cressman said. “After an extensive review of our distribution network, the decision was made to close the distribution center in Summerville, South Carolina in support of a consolidation strategy.”
The employees will receive benefits and assistance based on the WARN Act and company policies, Cressman said. They have asked state and local officials to assist the impacted employees.’
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