Mystery Shopper - Attitude is Everything

If you have any questions or would like to discuss volunteering in more detail, please get in touch with us on [email protected] or call the office on 020 7383 7979.

Download our Easy Read introduction to Mystery Shopping.

What is a Mystery Shopper?

Mystery Shoppers are volunteers who identify as being Deaf or disabled people. They volunteer their time for Attitude is Everything by attending gigs and festivals and reporting back on access provisions using an online form.

Do I count as Deaf or disabled?

As long as you consider yourself to be Deaf or disabled, then yes. We do not ask for “proof” but the accepted definition of disability in the UK relates physical, mental, neurological or sensory impairments that have lasted (or will last) for longer than a year and have a significant impact on your day to day life. You do not need to have a formal diagnosis, be receiving medical treatment or receive disability benefits.

Please note the definition of disability under the UK Equality Act 2010 does include hidden impairments, mental health impairments and long-term health conditions such as Diabetes, Crohn’s Disease, Cancer and HIV. If you are not sure if you are eligible to Mystery Shop then please get in touch.

What do you do with my feedback?

The work Mystery Shoppers do helps Attitude is Everything build a case for equal access to live music for Deaf and disabled people. Detailed information about the accessibility of venues and festivals is passed on to the management after the gig or festival to ensure they are aware of any potential access problems for disabled customers and to give practical suggestions on how to improve.

Assistance
Can someone go with me?

Yes – most venues and festivals offer personal assistant tickets at no cost to you and we can reimburse your personal assistant or carer’s travel costs. If the venue doesn't offer personal assistant tickets, we may be able to cover the cost of it – please get in touch if this is the case.

Is it okay to have help to do the form?

Of course! A personal assistant or carer can support you to attend the gig and fill in the form. However, the answers must be from your perspective.

Booking shops
Do I have to buy my own tickets?

Occasionally we can provide tickets for a gig or festival when we have complementary tickets given to us.

However, most of the time, you will need to purchase tickets yourself, or ask a personal assistant or carer to buy them for you. 

Is there help with travel costs?

After the gig or festival, Mystery Shoppers submit an expenses form for the cost of their ticket and travel. Travel includes using your own car, where we will reimburse you on the actual cost of petrol used (at 20p per mile). The expense limit for tickets and travel is £50, with more for festivals.

Do you assist with other costs such as food?

No, we do not reimburse food, drinks or merchandise purchased at the gig or festival.

Can I buy tickets and then ask to shop the event?

No. Make sure send a request to check if the venue needs shopped before you buy any tickets – we will only reimburse ticket costs we have agreed to in advance of you purchasing them.

Can I go to any event I want?

Within reason. We want to make sure we get a wide range of venues and events shopped, so may not be able to approve a shop if a lot of other people request it too. Additonally, we don't usually work with stadiums or outdoor sports grounds, so we cannot usually agree to shops at this type of venue.

Can I go to the theatre or other events?

Our Mystery Shopping project is exclusively for live music.

How many shops can I go to?

We will reimburse the costs of up to six shops a year, but you can do more Mystery Shops if you cover the costs yourself.

How far can I travel?

We will reimburse travel expenses within a reasonable distance (around 30 miles, more for rural areas). If you want to go to a venue further away and are happy to cover the travel costs yourself, send a request to check if the venue needs shopped.

How many people can go with me?

We can reimburse the travel expenses of one personal assistant or carer.

Can I mystery shop with a group?

It is possible to shop a low cost local venue as a group if you don’t have enough support to attend a gig or festival independently. Please contact us if you would like to Mystery Shop as a group.

What if I can’t go?

We understand that sometimes emergencies are unavoidable. Please let us know as far in advance as possible if you can’t make it.

Filling in the forms 
After your request is approved, you fill in a short online form before going to the gig or festival. After the gig or festival, Mystery Shoppers fill in a form online about access at the gig or festival and their experience. It can be completed on a phone, laptop or tablet, and contains a series of yes/no questions as well as space to talk in more detail about your experience of the venue or festival. 

Sign up here
Ready to sign up? Register via the Mystery Shopping portal here.