This company has fallen. The first time I participated I had a great experience not only with the subject but with the pay. I thought I was going to have the same experience as one would expect. I did my part yet they refuse to pay in a timely manner. Two weeks is about the normal amount of time to wait for ones incentive yet when it gets into 3 and 4 weeks and then into five weeks it's pretty annoying. I'm so disappointed because the focus groups they have are awesome and the moderators do a great job but they really need to work on their payout times and at least be more communicative with the participants. When one tries to contact the company about payment it's like pulling teeth. Schlesinger group please do better in 2026 read more

Crooks - they will not pay you. They pretend they can't hear you on the phone and hang up on you when you call support. Zero Stars

The first time I ever heard of Schlesinger it was enthusiastically described to me as "THE BEST!!!" of all the market research companies. I quickly realized why it earned that moniker once I started participating in their focus groups. They were the most professional, had the friendliest employees, offered the highest incentives, etc. So, in turn I started telling others the same thing and did so for a very long time. Fast forward to this year and Schlesinger gets rebranded, reorganized, re-whatever...to become Sago. I'm actually not sure what all occurred behind the scenes. What I do know is that something changed for the worse and it really became evident after the last market research study I participated in. I was in an online focus group in November with the promise of payment 2-3 weeks later. Right on schedule they notified me via email that my incentive had been added to their "focus group wallet" which is accessed through their website. From there, participants can choose how they want to receive their payment from various types of cards. I chose a virtual visa card. Unlike other market research companies who issue the card instantly upon request, Sago requires that you wait for it to be processed before they send it to you. They state that it can take up to 10 days. But, after more than 2 weeks with my request still pending I started to smell a rat. During that time I sent numerous emails and made several phone calls to their office but got no response. The only thing I heard were crickets! Eventually, I resorted to contacting the BBB to file a complaint (mine was among LOTS of others by the way). Miraculously, the next day my request got processed and my virtual visa card was available. Call me crazy but I don't think that participants should have to jump through hoops just to get the payment they earned. It's unfortunate that this once stellar company is now only THE BEST at being untrustworthy. read more

Awful company. I participated in a focus group on March 25 and as of May 15th, I still haven't gotten paid. Called the company and they said it would be expedited, yet nothing happened. I plan to contact the Better Business Bureau. read more

Sago keeps the money from their "client" and puts it in the company's investments. They hold YOUR money for as much as 2 months from the day you give them your time, your travel, your effort and your opinion. They want you to bend over backward for THEIR QUOTAS and act like they are doing you a favor. It is a travesty that they make you answer a million screening questions, call again to verify, and sometimes a third time - then bother you with a million reminder calls - and they STILL DO NOT PAY YOU until you threaten them. It is not worth begging for your money. They will hold your money and receive interest on YOUR money. Call the BBB. Call your state representative. This is a disgusting company. read more

I volunteered for a focus group 2 weeks ago. It was tedious but the incentive was for $277 for around 3 hours "work" so I thought why not? I opted for the physical debit card. When it failed to arrive after 2 weeks, ( I became nervous after reading the many horror stories on Yelp), I emailed the help desk asking for the status of the card. It came today. read more

I went into city and did a focus group last week. Things went smoothly and was told they would put my incentive in my "wallet in a few hours I arrived home and as they said they sent me my incentive that evening. You go into the wallet and pick what you want to spend it on. I picked a visa gift card. It took a few days to send it but once they did i have no problem purchasing anything online. I thought the staff is very friendly. Everything handled wonderfully. read more

Where's the money? This group used to pay on time, but over the last year, it's been impossible to get paid. The quality is horrible, and the service in trying to get answers is horrible. I've been paid faster by companies in bankruptcy. read more

Schlesinger Associates has at least 3 locations. If you Qualify you go in for different kinds of marketing surveys that take 1-3 hours and you are paid by check or credit card. This location is their newest. Everything is white with a touch of neutral colors. They have the whole 9th floor. All of the employees except for 1 woman are warm and inviting. The offices are spotless, the bathrooms are clean and they always have soda, water and snacks for you. read more

I was glad to read the reviews here describing my same problem with the Schlesinger group. I participated in a desktop survey and by telephone. There is a problem getting paid by these people. Hours tracking down where the payment went, how to redeem it - waiting for weeks. I felt like I'd been had after spending time contributing marketing information that they sold to Purina pet foods. This company has revenues in the 150 million dollar range annually. They get paid upfront by clients ( probably in the 6 figures ) and let that money accrue interest while participants who complete their surveys wait and wait many weeks for a gift card that serves as payment. I used to do surveys in NY offices for focus groups and was handed cash in an envelope at the end of the session. That was great and made you feel appreciated. This makes you feel like you worked for nothing. read more

If I could give this company zero stars I would. I was promised $275 for participating in a focus group. I agreed, and on my way out the person at the front desk pointed to a stack of cards by the elevators on my way out to "claim my reward money." He said it would take two hours to process. It actually took longer, after jumping through many confusing and convoluted hoops, creating multiple passwords and finding what to click on. I was finally able to use only part of the $275 ($200) towards gift cards or a virtual card that I had 90 days to use. I called them to inquire about the rest of the money and the woman who picked up the phone hung up on me. Basically, I wasn't given the full information about how I would be getting "paid" until I already finished the job. I feel lied to and taken advantage of. I would not be shocked to find out people have reported them to the Better Business Bureau. I could go on and on about how stressful this was, this is only a fraction of it, but in the interest of time, just do yourself a favor and avoid this scam company. read more

I did a study for them back in March. Received my incentive. Converted it to an Amazon card. Never got the card. Left several e mail s and voice messages and here it is May and never got a response. Very unprofessional Paul Strauss read more

In Dunwoody, Ga.; I spent all of a 9 hour day doing a marketing research study. Between the pre-qualifying, a few days later a telephone qualification, a 30 question survey before the day of the group which was labor intensive taken online, performing the study, then later on trying to collect the rewards through their wallet(gift cards are limited to set amounts on a visa gift debit, so more than one had to go through processing) and finally being turned down with several large merchants, my own time went over 30 hours. Not to blame the Schlesinger Group for the initial part because the money was paid to Sutton Bank for the reward cards. The problem is the bank used must be a small one since it is not NFC supported. The bank is connected to voice mail, so I left message after message without a returned call. Schlesinger also started ignoring me, when they paid for the funding of my cards after dividing up the money on their end from the client sponsored survey. Please think about doing studies with them, if they don't change to a larger bank in the future? It's embarrassing to be turned away with merchants, and even my insurance company Geico rejected these debit cards(although they claim, most visa or master card gift cards go through and will post). I attempted to download them to my PayPal, Google Pay/Google Wallet, so I could transfer them into my own personal bank account which is a huge banking entity; I did not succeed because Schlesinger chose to use Sutton which isn't NFC supported. I'm trying today to spend them at Amazon, although not my intention originally. Virtual Visa Cards have never been a concern with me in the past, since you realize going in that gas stations would be a challenge. Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, hotels, are typically easy to redeem virtually. On the plus side, the survey support in person were all professional and accommodating. The clients' moderators very nice. read more

I am convinced this company uses data received from each e-mailed survey to conduct their research. Without pay, they ask you numerous questions and request way too many details for possible "qualification" of a study. For a few months, I submitted surveys for possible qualification and never received any invitation to participate in any paid focus group. They want all of your personal information and to have people (anyone) waste time and give them free information without giving compensation. I opted out. This is a scam. Don't waste your time. read more

On June 15, 2022 I participated in a Arts and Music Focus Group via Zoom. They have NOT kept their word to pay me for my services. At the end of the Focus Group the facilitator said they would be contacted us for payment. I ended up reaching out and they said it takes 2-3 weeks to process the check that was four weeks ago. Do not recommend it's a waste of your time! read more

Don't do a focus group here-- they lie about when and how much you will be paid, and it's impossible to get in touch with anyone who can answer your questions about payment. I did a study here recently that was supposed to pay $150 for 2 hours. I stayed for the full two hours, but the person administering the study was having technical difficulties, which meant he didn't finish everything he was supposed to. After two hours, he told me I could go. No one told me, before I left, that this meant I wouldn't be paid the full $150-- and it never occurred to me that this would be the case, because why should I be the one penalized for the technician's incompetence (or be expected to stay longer, to compensate for it)? A few days later I received an email saying that I would be paid only $105 because I had "failed to complete the study." My attempts to explain what happened were ignored. Now, if they had told me that the study paid $105, to begin with, I still might have done it! But this dishonesty, incompetence, and total lack of accountability makes Schlesinger untrustworthy and to be avoided. read more

I was there yesterday to participate in a 3 hour study that offered a pretty good incentive which is why I signed up. I've done focus groups for the company at their NJ location in the past and had a pleasant experience. That wasn't the case this time. I found most of the staff, especially the RA's, to be unprofessional and abrasive. Suffice to say, I won't be participating in any more studies there in the foreseeable future. read more

DO NOT WORK FOR THIS RESEARCH GROUP THERE GOING TO USE YOU AND NOT PAY YOU!!!! It has been 5 months since I participated in a study on June 23 and I still haven't received payment also did another study in August 30 haven't got any payment. The project was banking and kitchen appliances. I have waited patiently for these payments and your company once again has not kept up with their promise of sending payments ent 4-6 weeks as you state in your confirmation n emails. Also when you call them let voicemails to the payment department but no one get back to you just fighting to get paid for your time. LISTEN TO ME WHEN I SAY DO'NT WORK WITH THEM THERE WAY BETTER RESEARCH GROUPS OUT THERE! read more

This company does not pay the agreed upon incentives for market research. I have been waiting for about 8 weeks now and every time I ask, the company kicks the can for another "7-10 business days." And it isn't just me: Check the company's profile with the Better Business Bureau. It seems NOBODY gets paid. https://www.bbb.org/.../schlesinger-group-0221-16002559 read more

This company has a big problem. They have revenues posted at $150 MILLION in FY 2022, with SIX HUNDRED employees, yet, they have the gall to claim that they are not able to expeditiously process payments for the people they have made contracts with to participate in their research groups. The people they lure to their locations, with the stated goal of paying within 10 days of completed research participation, including myself, are being stiffed. They/ we are being ignored, even weeks or months after participation, and even after multiple attempted contacts with them, only to be given a canned response that they are "sorry for the delay" and "we are working as quickly as possible". HUH? Quickly as possible doing what? Engineering interglactic rocket ships? NOPE. They just can't manage to push a button to pay people what, and in what time, they claimed they would. They are behaving as if it's analog 1980 where everything is disconnected and slow, instead of the reality they are in, which is *2024* where we are deep into complete hyper speed and digitization of literally EVERYTHING *especially* digital payments. But whoever they are employing over there to handle payments (high schoolers?), are clearly not capable of properly working in the 21st century because they are having "significant delays in incentive processing workflow". AKA: we don't know how to use the same digital payment processing systems that literally every single other enterprise similar to Schlesinger (and much smaller than them too by the way) uses to PROPERLY RESPECT PEOPLE AND PAY THEM, so we will continue to lie to you and keep your hard earned money as long as humanly possible before it becomes apparent we have a legal problem. read more

I was solicited by Schlessinger group to participate via video conference in a marketing research for Sente skin care products. That was more than two months ago (Columbus Day) and have yet to get paid! I was told then that compensation is $250 to be paid 4-6 weeks after video date. They not only were misleading about compensation, they don't even return my calls or offer a reasonable explanation for no payment of my services. I fully intend to file a formal consumer affairs report with the NYS attorney generals office. read more