Ad Site Location Reliable?

[LaffingBear]

Do the advertisers here find all of the rentguy website location identifiers accurate and reliable?

 

It's apparent as a client that the features vary by site; I assume the input,method and location service available vary for advertisers.

 

I've recently seen ads of guys that say they're currently visiting my area, but they dont show in "near me" GPS or IP searches. And, vice versa.

 

This past weekend, several guys appeared on a map view on a site, located within 5-10 miles of my suburban home. Every one of them replied to my inquiry that they're nowhere near me. One Sacramento guy reported that several clients recently wondered why his location was showing in Southeast Asia.

 

So, I'm approaching the point of ignoring these features altogether... but am interested in advertiser input.

[KennF]

For me, the map/near me features are not worth much.

 

If I'm on a wireless network, then it is getting my location from the IP address of the router. Or more specifically, of the IP address assigned to the router. In many cases that assignment is from a provider 50 miles away. I often get a wireless location of western Miami. Or, a few times, Orlando. I'm in neither.

 

This might explain why a provider temporarily shows up in another location. If the network server is down, and the network shifts controls to an offshore server, or the provider is travelling between networks, the location would show up wherever they are being assigned.

 

Providers list location, usually, by zip code or by City Name.

 

Imagine saying NYC, but that could mean every thing from Staten Island to Upper Bronx, to Queens. And, in my neck of the woods, Fort Lauderdale covers, for some sites, everything from Pompano Beach to Hollywood Beach (a 20 mile radius).

 

To make it crazier, it also, often, includes upcoming travel dates (which may be either Zip Codes or City Names).

 

When I do my searches, I have to look at multiple "areas" and ignore the map features.

[ChristianCronin]

The maps and location services on RentMen are incorrect. The GPS marker for every profile in New York City seems to be the exact same location. Not reliable.

[+ Eric Hassan]

The maps and location services on RentMen are incorrect. The GPS marker for every profile in New York City seems to be the exact same location. Not reliable.

 

That's a separate issue. The system locates anyone in NYC in the same place (unless you specify) because that's the place the system defines as NYC. Google maps will do the same thing when you look for just for NYC; in that case, it puts a pin on City Hall.

[+ bashful]

The maps and location services on RentMen are incorrect. The GPS marker for every profile in New York City seems to be the exact same location. Not reliable.

 

Most often, when I click on "map me" in a RM ad, I get a picture of the center of the city. However, occasionally, it displays a place elsewhere in the city. That leads me to believe the map display is totally dependent on what the advertiser puts in his ad, and if he doesn't specify a location, it will default to that center of the city location.

[+ bashful]

That's a separate issue. The system locates anyone in NYC in the same place (unless you specify) because that's the place the system defines as NYC. Google maps will do the same thing when you look for just for NYC; in that case, it puts a pin on City Hall.

 

Sorry, should have read your post.