With apologies to singer Paul Simon, and his song 50 ways to leave you lover, there is now an additional way to end a relationship, targetting roughly the 18 to 35 year old crowd.
It’s something that could only happen in this impersonal, digital age. For those too chicken to face their lover in person to say “it’s over”, new services are springing up to do it for you, for a small price.
Of course breaking up by text message is not unknown among a certain youngish age group, but the new services provide creates an additional distance between the parties for those too chicken to do it in person or even by their own text, and for additional cost, can perhaps soften the blow by sending gifts, or even a personalized telephone call
Such a third party service began in Australia this year, and has now spread to Canada. Another service is available online called “iBreakup”
In Australia the service begun by former nurse Kristy Mazins who says she has a relationship gift is called “Sorry it’s Over” and the new Canadian service which started this month is called “The Breakup Shop” which seems modeled very closely on the Australian idea. However, the Australian service, announced in May, seems to no longer have a website.
Telegraph (UK) on (possibly defunct) Australian service
The Canadian service started by brothers Evan and Mackenzie Keast offers a $5 Snapchat message, a $10 email or a $30 personal phone call by one of the company’s “heartbreakers”. For a little more money, the service will send some breakup gifts including for example a $40 bouquet of flowers (text message + flowers $48)
Their website announces ” Let us handle the messy work of the breakup…. All of our products are designed to give you peace of mind when ending your relationship, minimizing discomfort and maximizing potential for long-term friendship.”
The site also invites people to earn money by applying for a job as one of their “heartbreakers”
with files from Paul Karchut, Danielle Nerman, (CBC)
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