Hey Nicodemo,
Thank you for the question and a warm welcome to the forum 
There’s a couple of Etsy pros on here so I’m sure you’ll have some more hands-on advice from them, but from my side, I’ve not played around with Etsy too much. I haven’t heard of the “Apparel Cloning System“ but I have heard of Devin Zander.
Can’t for the life of me remember in what context I had become aware of him though! He does seem to be legit (I posted a quick summary on him at the end of this post)
So … I did a very quick dive into the course you mentioned using my trusty little AI sidekick and here’s what we came up with:
What “Apparel Cloning System” actually is
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It’s a print-on-demand (POD) training + system marketed under Skup (Devin Zander & co.). Skup positions it as a way to “find & create winning products” quickly, using AI to generate lots of designs cheaply.
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The pitch is basically: find what’s already selling, then “clone”/remix it into your own version (often via AI tools).
Your instinct on “this leads to expensive mentoring” is spot on …
Skup’s site actively funnels people into strategy calls and then toward coaching.
Also: Skup’s own Terms of Use say the Incubator/Coaching program is non-refundable (“all purchases are final”).
Refund policy: read the fine print
For the self-paced Apparel Cloning purchase, their refund policy includes:
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30-day window
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Must have watched all videos in full (they track completion) or refund is denied
That’s not automatically “bad,” but it’s stricter than the casual “try it risk-free” vibe some people assume.
The biggest practical risk: “cloning” + Etsy = IP pain
If someone is literally copying best-selling designs, even with “AI tweaks,” the real-world risk isn’t theoretical:
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Etsy takes IP seriously and has a formal notice/takedown process.
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Etsy warns that repeat infringement reports can lead to loss of account privileges (shop restrictions/closure).
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Etsy also prohibits counterfeit/unauthorized goods, including using a brand’s name/logo/protected design without permission.
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Etsy’s Creativity Standards also emphasize “made by a seller” items must be based on the seller’s original design, and they require AI disclosure when AI is used.
So if “apparel cloning” nudges beginners into “copy what’s selling,” that can turn into DMCA notices, listing removals, or shop shutdowns. (Even if you thought you changed it “enough.”)
Are there legit positives?
Yeah - conceptually, a structured system can help a total beginner:
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Understand POD workflow (mockups, production partners, fulfillment, customer service)
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Learn product research + basic ad testing
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Avoid staring at a blank Canva screen forever
And Skup has a lot of positive customer reviews as a company on Trustpilot (support/coaching responsiveness is a common theme).
(Reviews don’t guarantee outcomes, but they’re a useful signal for “is it a total ghost operation?”)
… and as promised, here’s what surfaced on the man behind the enterprise:
Bottom Line on Devin Zander
Legitimate entrepreneur with a history of building e-commerce tools and courses.
Skup is a real company with multiple products and a track record in the Shopify/print-on-demand space.
Business model is sales + upsell heavy. Most buyers are pushed toward coaching and paid upgrades after the initial course.
Not magic. Success stories exist, but they typically involve hard work and real selling - not “instant income.”
Some products (like Apparel Cloning) use language (“clone what sells”) that can be risky on platforms like Etsy if not approached carefully.
I hope that helps a bit. To be perfectly honest, I think you can easily learn all this stuff yourself without having to pay any money up-front. These concepts are pretty basic, when it comes down to it
Here’s a few DMC forum threads for further reading: