Well yes, they do... Wallet Size trumps looks for a guy often enough. It is truly amazing to see how a woman looks differently at you after she finds out your net worth.
As to what you refer to as "duds".... I don't classify them all as duds... I know several very attractive women, who fall into that category... they just don't go out.... and when they do its with their family or friends they have known since they were children.. they never ever go someplace where they are likely to actually meet someone new.....
In fact the one girl would up dating her sisters husbands cousin, because honestly, he was probably the first single guy that she had talked to outside of work in years.... A little too incestuous for me... but whatever works.
I think its a shyness/self esteem thing for some folks who are more than pleasant... they just don't get out. Now the real duds are a whole other story... don't even want to go there.
It's not just about money, though that's one factor people often cite. It's a lot more complicated than that - I know a lot of average looking men with above-average looking romantic companions, and many of them aren't wealthy. That's a factor, but that's not it, in itself.
As for duds, I think a person who puts little effort into cultivating an interesting personality and lifestyle is a dud. Men and women. A dud is a dud. They get rejected. That's a good thing.
I see what you're saying, but a person who makes no sincere attempt at finding quality members of the opposite sex for courtship, and then laments that there are no good people out there for them, are just not doing their part. I feel sorry for them only in the respect that they can change easily, but for whatever reason just don't do it.