These are often guys who are testing the waters so to speak to see if you are open to a hookup.
They don’t want to come right out and tell you that this is what they are looking for and why they joined the online dating site in the first place.
Instead, they will start a conversation with you under the guise of making small talk in an attempt to get to know you.
However, not long after they start the conversation, they may start flirting.
It may start innocently enough.
Perhaps they use a compliment or make a lighthearted flirtatious joke. But, it has started nonetheless.
If you play along, it won’t be long before they are all out flirting.
They use flirtation as their doorway. This is how they hint that they want a hookup.
It is easier for them to use this angle because they could easily backtrack if the conversation goes awry.
They can easily start acting as though they meant nothing by the tawdry comment that they just made and it was all just in good fun.
This is how they are able to test just how open and willing a girl is to hooking up with them.
They do this early because they are trying to sort out which girls they can hook up with quickly and which ones will take more time for them to seduce.
If they have had a flirtatious exchange with you that was going really well until you told them that you weren’t interested in a hookup, you have indicated to them that you are not going to be that easy.
After they backtrack and act as though they weren’t trying to give you that impression, they will probably make a mental note to put you on the back burner.
You are someone that they may come back to and make another attempt to hookup with at some point in time due to how receptive you were initially to their flirtatious comments.
They will now proceed to find better prospects who will hook up with them a lot quicker.
They may still initiate conversations with you sporadically just to ensure that you don’t forget about them but you aren’t a priority contact for them.
If you have noticed a good number of guys hinting at wanting a hookup but then backtracking when you say that you aren’t interested, it may be time for you to make some adjustments.
There may be something about your dating profile that is attracting guys like this.
It may be the possibility that you don’t have a detailed profile that strongly describes the kind of person you are.
It may be that your photos aren’t substantive enough.
If they are primarily selfies or sexy photos, you will attract the kind of guys who are just looking to hook up.
If you feel that you have a strong dating profile that has a lot of substance but keep finding yourself interacting with guys like this, you may be on the wrong dating app or dating site for you.
This may be your opportunity to make a change.