Etsy Seller Interview with Tanya of TLDigitalandDesign

How TLDigitalandDesign 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?

Hi, I’m Tanya Laporte, owner of TL Digital and Design on Etsy. I sell digital clipart, stickers, alphabets, stamps, coloring designs, pattern packs, and SVG cutting files. I create all the illustrations and patterns myself and find inspiration everywhere, from my back garden to around the town I live in and on my travels. I started my shop back in 2014 when I moved from South Africa (the country I grew up in) to Australia, where I now live. I hadn’t found work, so I needed to keep myself busy and make some money. and so TL Digital and Design on Esty was born. At first, I didn’t give my shop the attention it deserved, but I have since worked harder at marketing and growing it, and I will continue to do so.

At first, I sold other products as well as digital downloads, including personalized mugs, pens, notebooks, notepads, and greeting cards, but I decided to narrow down my market as I couldn’t do it all, and now I only sell digital downloads. I love creating illustrations and patterns, and I find it so rewarding when I see products that my Etsy buyers have made using my designs.

Favorite items

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

Gosh, I love everything that I create, but I will name a few that I particularly love: Kawaii Smores and Marshmallows Clipart Set: These illustrations are just so darn cute, and I love the pink and white colors. It is a fairly new listing and is selling well at the moment:

Sweet Cookie SVG Alphabet: This is my only SVG alphabet, so it can be used with cutting machines (my other alphabets are all PNG files). It is fun and colorful and perfect for creating party decor and kid's shirts.

Modern Baby Boy Clipart Set is a cute clipart collection for boys I love the fun colors and cute characters included in this set. It is a bit of an older listing, but it has just recently picked up in sales.

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?

Well, that was quite a while ago now, but I do remember waiting a fair while before I made my first sale, partly because I wasn’t really sure of the market and I didn’t give my shop the attention it deserved. My shop has grown a lot since the beginning, and so has the Etsy market.

Managing TLDigitalandDesign

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 manage my shop myself and keep track of sales, etc. in Excel, and I use Corel Draw design software to create my listings. All my listings are digital, so I do not need to handle shipping and fulfillment.

The future of TLDigitalandDesign

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

I would really love to grow my shop more by increasing my listings and marketing it more.

Advice for new sellers

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

I would say that one should not expect to make a fortune at the start; it takes a while for your listings to be seen and for your audience to grow, so just keep at it!