Etsy Seller Interview with Davide of SmartOtterDesign

How SmartOtterDesign got started

Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?

I'm Davide, the creator and founder of SmartOtterDesign. I’m a computer scientist with a passion for graphic design and animals. Throughout my life and career, I’ve worked on a variety of projects related to IT and design, from databases to websites, posters to logos. Now, I create and sell t-shirts and sweatshirts on Etsy while working as a developer.

I founded SmartOtterDesign just a few months ago, in July 2024, because I had always been searching for a way to express my creativity. When I discovered the world of print-on-demand, I felt it was tailor-made for me. I chose to sell t-shirts and sweatshirts because they’re items I personally wear, making it easier for me to understand and create designs people would enjoy wearing.

When I shared my project with friends and family, they were incredibly supportive and enthusiastic, helping me significantly during the initial stages. Their encouragement motivated me to dedicate more and more time to this endeavour. At first, I created various types of t-shirts to understand what worked and what didn’t, experimenting with different styles and themes.

Eventually, I began focusing more on animal-themed designs, especially otters, which I find both adorable and amusing—plus, they’re my favourite animal. As I continued designing, I leaned toward creating more natural and animal-inspired designs, as they were not only the most successful but also the ones I enjoyed making the most. After about two months of running my shop, the supplier I was using began shipping items late without any communication and printing designs incorrectly. This led me to switch suppliers, moving all my designs to Printful, a platform I still use today and am extremely satisfied with.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

The items I love the most are definitely the otter-themed shirts because I think otters are both amusing and adorable creatures.The first shirt that got me more than a few sales was this one: a T-shirt with otters.

I spent a lot of time creating the design, and I also made a tote bag with the same design, which sold several copies as well.The design didn’t achieve massive success, but I was happy that it sold a few copies. The first design that started generating a significant number of sales was a Christmas-themed otter shirt: Christmas otter sweatshirt. It’s one of my favourites because of its simplicity.

The product that has been the most successful, to my surprise, is definitely the Christmas couple's sweatshirt: Christmas couple sweatshirt. I think its success lies in its simple yet adorable design. And, of course, since it’s a couple's product, it’s always purchased in pairs.

Getting sales on Etsy

How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?

The first sale came about 14-15 days after I opened the shop, and I didn’t make much profit from it, but I was still very happy because it was a small milestone.

To attract customers, I tried several strategies, such as using Pinterest, although I’m currently neglecting it due to limited time.

I also created an Instagram page that I hope to use in the future, but for now, the only strategy I’m actively using is Etsy Ads.

Managing SmartOtterDesign

How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?
I am currently the only one managing the shop, as I spend a lot of time on the computer due to my job.

With my background in IT and graphic design, I use tools that I also utilise for other purposes:

Notepad++ for text editing or note-taking.

Photoshop for mockups, designs, and all kinds of image editing.

Illustrator to compose designs, vectorise them, add text, and finalise everything.

CapCut to create videos.

Google Suite to keep track of sales and expenses.

I’m always looking for new tools to make managing the shop easier.

Since it’s a print-on-demand business, shipping and restocking are handled by my supplier, which in this case is Printful.

The future of SmartOtterDesign

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

I hope to create my own website in the future, moving away from Etsy and establishing my own brand.

My goal is to make a living solely from sales and focus exclusively on projects I’m truly passionate about.

I didn’t start the shop with the intention of becoming rich; I started it to do something that excites and inspires me. Anything beyond that will be a bonus.

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

I’m a new seller myself, so I don’t have many tips to share.

The most important one is definitely to try—there’s no way to know how things will go or what will work until you give it a shot.

Be ready to change your perspective, research, and explore new paths because your customers will ultimately decide what works and what doesn’t.

Sometimes, customers will contact you to request a specific design—listen to them, and they’ll be happy to come back to you.

Don’t get discouraged; you learn much more from mistakes than from successes.