Viking Cricket
How a small independent cricket retailer rebuilt their online presence and made three sales on launch day.
Sports Retail
Silsden, Yorkshire
WordPress + Elementor
Three Sales on Launch Day
Viking Cricket is a small independent cricket retailer based in Silsden, Yorkshire. They compete against giants — Gunn & Moore, Gray-Nicolls — companies with deep pockets and polished online stores. The original website had been self-built and had gradually become difficult to manage and confusing to navigate.
Then Jeff, the owner, faced serious ill health. Time, energy, and budget were all limited. What Viking Cricket needed wasn’t a flashy rebuild — it was a practical, affordable website that could help the business get back on its feet.
On launch day, they made three online sales.
The Challenge
A small independent retailer facing big-brand competition needs to be smart:
Giant Competitors
Competing against national brands with massive marketing budgets and polished e-commerce operations.
Difficult to Manage
The existing self-built site had become confusing to update and navigate.
Limited Resources
Time, energy, and budget were all constrained. The solution had to be practical and affordable.
Trust Deficit
Shoppers comparing Viking to larger retailers needed confidence to buy from a smaller independent.
What I Built
The rebuild focused on clarity, trust, and simplicity — like a steady opening partnership designed to stabilise the innings.
Clean, Trustworthy Design
- Clear navigation — find bats, pads, gloves, and equipment without digging
- Professional presentation — feels like a well-organised sports shop, not a cluttered kit bag
- Social proof — credentials and trust signals prominent throughout
- Mobile-friendly — players can browse and buy from their phones
Easy Product Management
Built on WordPress and Elementor, Jeff can manage everything himself:
- Add products easily — no technical knowledge required
- Update prices and stock — quick changes when needed
- No ongoing developer costs — independence from day one
Scalable Structure
The site was built to grow:
- Expandable categories — ready for hockey equipment and other sports
- Landing pages — can be added quickly as the range grows
- Content-ready — blog and guides can be added when resources allow
The Results
3 Sales on Launch Day
Immediate proof the new setup was working. Customers could find what they needed without friction.
Platform Confidence
Jeff can now manage products, updates, and changes himself. No developer dependency.
Professional Credibility
The site now stands alongside larger cricket brands, not below them.
Room to Grow
Hockey equipment expansion is ready to launch. The platform scales with the business.
What the Client Says
Our website was badly in need of a new design and a fresh look. Steve was brilliant, he listened to what we wanted and came up with good suggestions how things could work even better with our new site. I am pleased to say we have a wonderful new website that we love and more importantly our customers like, they have already commented on its clear and fresh look, easier to navigate and one has asked for Steve's details they were that impressed. We will be using Steve for anything else we need in future and can highly recommend him.
How I can help
Your site isn't bringing anything in
You've got a website. Maybe it even looks decent. But the enquiries aren't coming and you're not sure why. I find what's holding it back and fix it.
You're paying too much for your current platform
Proprietary website builders and closed CMS platforms can cost hundreds — sometimes thousands — a year for no good reason. I move businesses onto WordPress and cut the ongoing cost significantly.
Your developer disappeared — or stopped caring
It happens more than it should. If you've been left with a half-finished site, no access to your own files, or a developer who's stopped returning calls — I can take it over and sort it out.
You're starting from scratch
New business, new direction, or starting properly for the first time. I'll build something that works from day one — not just something that looks good in a browser.
Let's build something that works for your business.
Start with a free 30-minute call. No hard sell — just an honest conversation about your website.