Viking Hockey
How a ten-year cricket retailer opened a brand-new front in hockey — launching a full online shop, buying guide and own-brand range from a blank canvas.
Sports Retail
Silsden, Yorkshire
WordPress + Elementor
A New Saga Begins
Viking is a family-run sports retailer in Silsden, West Yorkshire. For ten years they’ve fitted cricketers from the local park to the international arena — same shop, same people, same hands-on advice.
Now they’ve opened a second front. Hockey.
This wasn’t a cautious toe in the water. It was a complete new brand, a complete new range, and a complete new shop — built from a blank canvas. Same trusted team; a whole new game.
The Challenge
Launching into a new category from scratch is its own kind of contest:
A New Category, Zero History
Ten years of cricket credibility counts for nothing in hockey until you prove it. The range had to look established from day one.
Fitting Expertise, Online
Viking's edge is in-person fitting advice. That knowledge had to translate to a website where nobody's standing at the counter.
Credible Against Big Brands
A small starting range needs to feel like a proper sports shop, not a placeholder — sitting confidently alongside established hockey names.
A Range Still Being Built
Launching with a deliberately small line-up meant the site had to invite customers to shape what gets stocked next.
What I Built
A full e-commerce launch — shop, brand and buying guide — designed to look ten years old on day one.
A Complete Shop From Scratch
- Own-brand Norse line-up — Warrior, Odin, Thor and Valhalla sticks from £35 to £190, carrying the same identity as the cricket range’s Valkyrie heritage
- Clear categories — sticks, luggage and accessories, easy to browse and buy
- Mobile-friendly — players can shop from the sideline or the sofa
An In-Store Fitter’s Buying Guide
The counter advice, put online — so buyers choose the right stick with confidence:
- Stick length by height — a proper sizing table, not guesswork
- Carbon percentage explained — matching power and forgiveness to a player’s level
- Bow profiles & positions — mid bow for control, low bow for 3D skills and drag-flicks
- Weight, grip & care — how to pick balance and keep a stick match-ready
A Range Shaped by Customers
- Built-in feedback — customers tell Viking what to stock, and the range grows around real demand
- Honest positioning — a new, deliberately small line-up presented as a strength, not an apology
Self-Managed & Scalable
Built on WordPress and Elementor — the same setup Jeff already runs for cricket:
- Owner-managed — add products, prices and stock without a developer
- Ready to expand — goalie sticks and new bags already lined up
- Linked to the cricket business — one trusted name, two ranges
The Results
Quick Launch!
Jeff needed the site quickly - we delivered within 7 days
A Full Range, Live
A complete hockey shop — sticks, luggage and accessories — launched and selling from a standing start.
Fitting Expertise Online
The buying guide does the job the counter does in store, building trust before a customer ever gets in touch.
Room to Grow
Goalkeeping sticks and new bags are ready to add. The platform scales as the range does.
Looking Ahead
This is the first line-up, not the finished team.
With the shop live and the foundations set, Viking is building the range around what customers ask for — goalie sticks and new luggage are next, with more to follow. Hockey now stands alongside the established cricket business under one trusted, family-run name.
Key Takeaways
For any business launching into a brand-new category:
- Expertise travels — ten years of fitting kit is an asset in any sport, if you put it online
- Show your working — a proper buying guide builds trust a product grid never will
- Let customers shape the range — a feedback loop turns a small launch into a strength
- Own your platform — build on something the owner can run day-to-day
A new saga, same trusted hands.
How I can help
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