Focus Group by Schlesinger
Focus Group by Schlesinger operates a US consumer market research panel under Sago, recruiting panelists for surveys, focus groups, interviews, and product tests on behalf of corporate brand clients, with 16 US facilities and regional panels across Europe and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersIselin, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Focus Group by Schlesinger does
Focus Group by Schlesinger is a consumer market research panel operated by SS Holdings Group, LLC (d/b/a Sago), a private market research firm founded in 1970 and headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey. The company recruits and manages a consumer panel that participates in market research studies — online surveys, webcam focus groups, telephone interviews, in-person sessions, and product tests — on behalf of corporate brand clients seeking consumer insights. Sago operates 16 physical research facilities across the US and maintains regional panels in Germany (Sag uns die Meinung!), France (Opinions Partagees), Spain (Personas con opinions), the UK (Inspired Opinions), and Canada (AskingCanadians), plus a global panel (SayMore).
The core product is the FocusGroup.com platform, where participants self-register, verify identity through a partnership with Persona (using government-issued photo ID plus selfie), and receive email invitations to studies matched to their profile across demographic and behavioral segments. Participation is rewarded through the Focus Group Wallet digital incentive system, where 100 points equal $1 and minimum redemption is $50 (5,000 points), payable via Visa debit cards, Amazon, Best Buy, Apple, or other gift cards. The platform supports multiple modalities — online surveys, webcam focus groups, web chats, video diaries, telephone interviews, and in-person research at US facilities. An upcoming dedicated qualitative research panel, Focus Group+, is being introduced as a complement to the existing survey-focused platform.
The business model is two-sided: corporate brand clients pay for research study access, participant recruitment, and data collection services, while consumer panelists participate free of charge and earn incentives. Sago is ISO 27001 certified and compliant with GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, supporting international data transfers across its multi-country operations. The company reported $65M paid in participant rewards in a single year — an incentive cost rather than a revenue figure. The firm has been operating for more than 55 years under the Sago brand and is privately held with no disclosed venture capital or private equity backing.
Focus Group by Schlesinger firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Focus Group by Schlesinger
- Legal name
- SS Holdings Group, LLC d/b/a Sago
- Website
- https://focusgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Focus Group by Schlesinger operates a US consumer market research panel under Sago, recruiting panelists for surveys, focus groups, interviews, and product tests on behalf of corporate brand clients, with 16 US facilities and regional panels across Europe and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Focus Group by Schlesinger industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Market Research Services
- NAICS
- Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services (BPAHALAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fieldwork & Data Collection (Online Panels, CATI/CAPI, Fieldwork) (MPAAALAD)
Keywords
Where Focus Group by Schlesinger is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Iselin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Focus Group by Schlesinger business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Market Research Panel Services: Sago operates Focus Group as a consumer research panel that recruits and manages participants who complete surveys, focus groups, interviews, and product tests on behalf of corporate clients seeking consumer insights. Revenue is generated through client fees for research study access, participant recruitment, and data collection services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free panel membership for participants |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Focus Group by Schlesinger product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Focus Group by Schlesinger operates a US consumer research panel (FocusGroup.com) that recruits individual panelists to participate in paid market research studies on behalf of corporate clients. Panelists complete surveys, webcam focus groups, telephone interviews, in-person sessions at 16 US research facilities, product tests, and mobile diary studies, and earn monetary rewards through the Focus Group Wallet incentive system for their participation.
Product overview
Focus Group by Schlesinger (operated by Sago) operates a multi-channel consumer market research panel accessible via its flagship platform FocusGroup.com. The core offering enables participants to join paid research studies across multiple modalities: online surveys, webcam focus groups, telephone interviews, in-person sessions at 16 US facilities, and mobile-based diary studies. The portfolio includes the Focus Group Wallet incentive system for reward management and the upcoming Focus Group+ panel as a dedicated space for qualitative research. The platform differentiates through its participant verification process using Persona identity verification, tiered reward catalog, and 55+ years of market research expertise under the Sago parent company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Focus Group Wallet: Digital incentive program for rewarding research participants with points that can be redeemed for gift cards, debit cards, and other rewards.
- Focus Group+
Products and services
- FocusGroup.com Consumer Research Panel Online consumer research panel operated by Sago (SS Holdings Group, LLC) that recruits US consumers to participate in paid market research studies on behalf of corporate brand clients. Participants can complete online surveys, webcam focus groups, telephone interviews, in-person focus groups and product tests at 16 US research facilities, video diaries, and mobile-based studies. Membership is free, and panelists earn monetary incentives for participation.
Companies that use Focus Group by Schlesinger
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Focus Group by Schlesinger technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Focus Group by Schlesinger partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- PersonacorePersona provides identity verification services for Focus Group panel registration, enabling secure, priority access to high-value studies using government-issued photo ID and selfie verification.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Focus Group by Schlesinger competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dynata: One of the world's largest first-party data and insights platforms, operating global consumer research panels and online/offline fieldwork services. Direct competitor to Focus Group in consumer panel recruitment and B2B research services.
- Toluna: Global consumer panel operator with millions of panelists across multiple countries, offering online surveys, qualitative research, and panel-management technology. Closely comparable business model and product mix to Focus Group.
- Cint: Operates a global panel exchange connecting researchers with supply partners; powers consumer insights for thousands of brands. Directly comparable panel infrastructure and customer base to Focus Group.
- Prolific: Online participant recruitment platform focused on high-quality verified panelists for academic and commercial research. Competes for the same online survey and qualitative research dollars as Focus Group.
Broad incumbents
- Ipsos: Global market research firm offering consumer panels, syndicated products, and bespoke research across industries. Overlaps with Focus Group on panel recruitment and corporate insight services, but at much larger scale and brand.
- Kantar: World-leading marketing data and analytics firm operating proprietary panels (e.g., Worldpanel) and consumer insight programs. A broader incumbent competing for the same brand-research spend.
- Qualtrics: Experience management platform with survey and panel-management capabilities for enterprise market research. Adjacent competitor, especially as clients adopt self-serve research platforms.
- NielsenIQ: Global consumer intelligence firm providing panel-based measurement, retail data, and consumer research. Operates household and consumer panels at scale comparable in ambition to Focus Group's panel business.
- Schlesinger Group: The legacy parent brand under which Sago/Focus Group historically operated; remains an industry name in qualitative research and recruitment. Connected via the 'by Schlesinger' branding and shared heritage with Focus Group.
Regional players
- Rakuten Insight: Asia-Pacific-centric consumer panel operator with strong reach across Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. Comparable panel model but primarily competing outside the US market where Focus Group is dominant.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Focus Group by Schlesinger social profiles
Digital presenceFocus Group by Schlesinger compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Focus Group by Schlesinger financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Focus Group by Schlesinger leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Focus Group by Schlesinger subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Focus Group by Schlesinger funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Focus Group by Schlesinger M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Focus Group by Schlesinger
What does Focus Group by Schlesinger do?
Focus Group by Schlesinger operates a US consumer research panel (FocusGroup.com) that recruits individual panelists to participate in paid market research studies on behalf of corporate clients. Panelists complete surveys, webcam focus groups, telephone interviews, in-person sessions at 16 US research facilities, product tests, and mobile diary studies, and earn monetary rewards through the Focus Group Wallet incentive system for their participation.
Is Focus Group by Schlesinger a public or private company?
Focus Group by Schlesinger is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Focus Group by Schlesinger founded?
Focus Group by Schlesinger was founded in 1970. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Focus Group by Schlesinger based?
Focus Group by Schlesinger is headquartered in Iselin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Focus Group by Schlesinger make money?
One revenue line is on record: market Research Panel Services.
Who are Focus Group by Schlesinger's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dynata, Toluna, Cint and Prolific. Broad incumbents are Ipsos, Kantar, Qualtrics, NielsenIQ and Schlesinger Group. Rakuten Insight is listed as a regional player.
Does Focus Group by Schlesinger have an API?
No public API is recorded for Focus Group by Schlesinger.
What industry is Focus Group by Schlesinger in?
Focus Group by Schlesinger's product category is Market Research Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHALAJ, Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services, with a secondary code of MPAAALAD, Fieldwork & Data Collection (Online Panels, CATI/CAPI, Fieldwork). Its NAICS code is 54191.