The function of a search tool is to output results that match your search criteria.  It’s still a useful search tool if it outputs no results when there are no matching results, as it is saving you loads of time from going through the whole database.  It’s a useless search tool when it’s outputting essentially fake matches.  In the case of a dating site/app, a useless search tool means that it is outputing results of people who do not match your search criteria, and you end up going through person after person that you have no interest in.  Lots of wasted time.  Unfortunately, that’s the case with the JDate dating site/app.

Is it a JDate dating site/app bug?  According to JDate, it is by their design, whereby profile empty fields are accepted as matches, so you don’t “miss” someone.  Unfortunately, padding the results with people you have no interest in contributes to you “missing” someone, while also encouraging JDate members to leave their profiles blank to match with everyone.  Even the search filter with the Matches sort order is not helpful to show your matches to you – empty profiles who you find do not match with you at all with are at the top of the list, making it there by having an unfilled profile.  At least the search tool with the Matches sort should weed out empty profiles for you.  Waste of time.  And money if you subscribe on JDate to read/send emails.

Related: “JDate dating website search tool still buggy, false matches“