Woman refuses to change her 3-star online review after going to a beginner's ceramics-making class, and being forced to do an extensive clean-up of the whole art studio afterward, owner insists she remove the review: 'It could scare people off'

Author image for Emma Saven
Emma Saven
Dec 17, 2025 3:00 PM EST

Business reviews can make or break the prosperity of any company…whether a newbie on the business scene, or a well-known establishment. When your company revolves around the experience of others, it just so happens that those experiences actually matter. So it's essential to ensure your customers have the best ultimate experience when using your brand or service…Because if not, oftentimes it becomes your word against theirs. And unfortunately, others are more likely to listen to buyers than the sellers… 

This woman went to a ceramics-making class at a small art studio with a group of friends. Their day was filled with a great deal of fun and learning. That was until clean-up rolled around…and instead of hanging up their aprons and organizing their own stations, they were forced to pull up their sleeves and get mopping and scrubbing (of the whole studio)…This was not in the lesson's brief, and she thought it would only be right that other potential customers knew that, too.

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  • So instead, of giving the studio a 5-star online rating…She gifted an honest 3-star review, ensuring there were no more surprises for others…Suddenly, she was getting phone calls from the business owner, demanding she take her review down, as she's ‘ruining' the future of her small business! However, she felt like the review was accurate and well-fitting, refusing to sugar-coat an experience she paid a lot for!

  • Group of friends at a ceramics painting class
    via gettyimages

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • AITAH for refusing to take down a “bad” review for a small business?

    Recently my friends and I went to a local art studio/co-op that offers group lessons. We were there for a ceramics class.
    via anonimityisfly
  • The vibe I got was that the studio charges a premium for the classes and it's mainly it's a way to keep the lights on for the business.
    via anonimityisfly
  • The lesson went great, our instructor was really helpful, and we all had a great time making our items.
    via anonimityisfly
  • Then we got to the end and it was time to clean up. We fully expected to help out and wipe down our stations and clean our tools.
    via anonimityisfly
  • We didn't expect to be mopping the floors (which were already covered in clay when we came in) and wiping down stations that our group hadn't touched.
    via anonimityisfly
  • Folding clay
    via leungchopan

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • The instructor's version of "helping" was to walk around and hand us a sponge or mop and pointing out spots we missed.
    via anonimityisfly
  • After we picked up our pieces a few weeks later I posted a review that I thought was honest and fair.
    via anonimityisfly
  • I said we'd had so much fun, that our instructor was great, but that I probably wouldn't be back based on the level of cleaning we'd been asked to do, 3 stars.
    via anonimityisfly
  • The business owner contacted me and asked me to take down my review because it could scare people off.
    via anonimityisfly
  • I asked if the amount of cleaning we were asked to do was normal. She said it was and that it was all part of being in the community of the studio.
    via anonimityisfly
  • Three people deep cleaning a room
    via studioroman

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • I said that the people who sign up for this one time class were not members of her studio community and I felt that the review was accurate.
    via anonimityisfly
  • She said that I was being unreasonable and that I just didn't understand the way this type of studio functioned, and that I needed to take it down.
    via anonimityisfly
  • I told her I would not be doing that. I mentioned the situation to a couple of the people I went to the studio with and one of them said it would be the "kind" thing to take down the review.
    via anonimityisfly
  • I think it's better to be kind to potential customers and let them know what they're getting themselves into.
    via anonimityisfly
  • madmaxturbator I belonged to a pottery studio for many years!! The one off classes were meant for guests, for friends, for anyone trying their first time with pottery. You don't make people clean the studio after that kind of session! That's so rude. As a member of the studio? Yeah we cleaned up the space a lot. But we had keys to the space, it was like a second home or office to most folks. So we were expects to keep it tidy. In fact, when we helped with the guest one off classes, we would ofte
    via madmaxturbator
  • OP anonimityisfly That's kind of what we thought it would be. We genuinely had no issue doing the basics and making sure we were using the right sinks and cleaning things off properly for clay reclamation or whatever, and we had no problem wiping down our wheels and stations, it was really when the mops came out and we were being told to wipe down stations we hadn't touched that we got a little frustrated.
    via anonimityisfly
  • Construction No9678 >She said that I was being unreasonable and that I just didn't understand the way this type of studio functioned Also, how is someone coming in for a one-time class supposed to know this kind of thing? I'd get it if they had a notice about this somewhere on the platform you book things through, but it doesn't sound like they did.
    via ConstructionNo9678
  • OP anonimityisfly lol that was my thought too. Like ma'am I'm sorry but why would I expect that, I've never been here…..
    via anonimityisfly
  • Repulsive-Walk-3639 This is my problem with what the rating system has become. Anything less than five is a 'you suck.' But... it's not, by definition. But in effect, it is. One more thing about the modern world for me to pull my hair out over.
    via Repulsive-Walk-3639
  • OP anonimityisfly Oh yeah, it makes me crazy lol, like I give 5 stars if everything goes really really well even if it's not perfect, I probably would have done 4 if the instructor had helped out, but I went 3 because that last half hour really soured me on the experience as a whole. We were talking about going back when we were at the wheels because we were having such a good time. When we left no one was feeling that way anymore, so for me to go from "maybe we do this every couple of months" t
    via anonimityisfly
  • Woman typing on her laptop while sitting legs-crossed on the couch
    via Vlada Karpovich

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Responsible_Low_8021 NTA and INFO: was your class at the end of the day? As in the whole day's classes are expected to tidy their own stations but the very final class of the day is expected to tidy their stations and then clean the whole studio? Regardless: no class should be expected to clean the whole studio.
    via Responsible_Low_8021
  • OP anonimityisfly It was the end of the day, but my understanding is that it's not the type of studio where they have classes throughout the day. It's mainly just space for their members and the classes are really infrequent, maybe 2-4 classes total a week. There were still other people working when we left though, so there was an extent to which we were wondering why we were mopping when these people would just be making it messy when they left
    via anonimityisfly
  • Pink11 Amethyst I've gone to many ceramic classes, including where we use the wheel and the last part of the class was always cleaning the equipment and the workspace. So that is normal. Though I don't think I ever mopped. For small business, it is harsh to give only three stars as it brings down their ratings. If you believe in supporting small business, you should take it down. You can still give five stars, but just say you didn't realize you'd have to clean up. So you're giving information b
    via Pink11Amethyst
  • OP anonimityisfly I believe in supporting small businesses but I also believe in being honest. The extra cleaning at the end genuinely had a big impact on the way I felt about the class. Also when I'm looking at reviews I usually sort and look at the mid tier reviews. If a place has a 4.6 or something I want to know why. Usually the 2-4 stars is where I get the best information
    via anonimityisfly

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reviews 5 stars art-studio clean up ceramics-class
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