Well said - they just appear to be fleecing us, which is especially frustrating given that a). many clients don't trust anyone advertising on VS anyway, and b). whenever I've tried it I've got nothing but window lickers!
I do get quite a bit of interest from it, and have learned to 'use' it in a way which sort of works for me.
They are taking the P with the adverts, and they still cannot update their geodatabase to bring me into a post 1975 area. As a result I have to pretend I'm somewhere else to get anywhere near, and that somewhere else is not a particularly desirable place. I'm not snobby but some potential customers are a bit wary, and it can come across as a bit strange when I am at a postcode, then explain that I'm actually in a different town.
I've also tried to get a better deal for a longer placed ad, but they are only interested in those who will pay for the extra, very expensive features. Not bog standard customers. For that reason I target my adverts to specific times.
