A Pilates studio in Clemson, South Carolina has found itself at the center of a viral controversy after banning a customer for leaving what many consider a reasonable four-star review. The incident, which has garnered over 2.5 million views on TikTok, involves Reform Pilates by Soulshine Wellness and graduate student Caitlin, who shared her experience on social media.
According to sources, Caitlin who recently moved to Clemson to begin her graduate studies. She purchased an all-access pass at the newly opened Reform Pilates studio. After attending a reformer class, she left a four-star review on MindBody Online, the studio’s booking platform, which automatically prompted users to provide feedback.
Her review stated: “I really enjoyed the exercises we did in the class, but I do feel like the transitions were kind of clunky and would have liked more explanation of the moves instead of watching the instructor demo the moves because the way the room is situated made it hard to see what she was doing at times.” The review was constructive, beginning with positive feedback before offering suggestions for improvement.
Two days after posting the review, Cait discovered she had been removed from all booked classes and her membership had been revoked. Initially assuming it was a technical error, she visited the studio for clarification. The owner, who had also been her instructor, confirmed she had personally revoked Kate’s membership due to the review.
According to Cait’s account, the owner explained that as a new business during its grand opening, the studio “can’t have that kind of negative energy” and couldn’t afford to have someone “making a bad name for her business” through the booking app.
The owner reportedly told Caitlin there were other studios in town that would welcome her, and expressed concern that she might write additional “bad reviews” if allowed to return.
The situation raises questions about business practices and customer feedback. Reform Pilates by Soulshine had only been operating for a few weeks when the incident occurred, having officially opened on September 8th. Of the 186 reviews on their MindBody profile, all except Cait’s were five-star ratings, with most containing no written feedback.
Many observers have noted that banning a customer for constructive criticism, especially a four-star review that begins with praise, appears to be an overreaction that ultimately generated far more negative attention than the original review.
Following the viral TikTok video, the studio’s Google reviews reportedly dropped to 1.8 stars before being removed by the platform, which typically occurs when there’s an unusual surge in reviews. Caitlin confirmed she received a refund for her membership.
Soulshine Wellness has not directly addressed the controversy but posted on Instagram about listening to feedback and making adjustments to their classes, though without specifically referencing Cait’s situation.
