E-commerce & Sports case study
WeSellPickleball
Inside the build
From constraint to working system.
The challenge
What had to change
Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States, but players - especially beginners - struggled to navigate an overwhelming gear market split across generic sporting goods retailers. There was no dedicated online destination that matched players to the right equipment based on their skill level, play style, and budget, nor a trusted community for reviews from fellow players.
Our solution
The product response
We built WeSellPickleball as the definitive e-commerce destination for the pickleball community: a platform where product discovery is driven by AI recommendations matched to player profiles, and buying decisions are informed by community reviews, video demos, and skill-based filters.
Architecture & approach
How the system was shaped
The storefront is a headless Next.js application backed by a product catalog API with custom skill-level metadata. A recommendation engine uses player-profile inputs (skill level, grip style, play frequency) to surface relevant products. Stripe handles payments and subscription management for a "gear of the month" program. Court finder data is aggregated from public park databases and surfaced via a location-aware API.
Product scope
Key features
- Skill-based product filtering (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
- AI gear recommendations based on play style and goals
- Court finder with location-aware search and court ratings
- Community reviews with verified-buyer badges
- Video demo integration for paddles and equipment
- "Gear of the Month" subscription box program
- Player profile system with purchase history and wish lists
Technical foundation
Tech stack
Business impact
The outcome
WeSellPickleball launched its MVP in 6 weeks and quickly established a loyal customer base in the pickleball community. The AI recommendation engine drove a 35% higher add-to-cart rate compared to standard category browsing. The subscription box program achieved 60% retention after the first month, creating a predictable recurring revenue stream from day one.
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