ShoeBuy (formerly Shoebuy) launched in Boston in 1999 as an e-commerce platform for purchasing shoes, accessories and bags made by a wide variety of brands. ShoeBuy was a pioneer of online shoe shopping, founded at the turn of the century when people still believed computers might malfunction or turn against us when the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1, 2000. Now, 15 years after Y2K, the online shopping mecca has gone through a brand renaissance.

Launching Thursday, ShoeBuy’s new identity can be seen, surface-level, on its website, but we knew it was coming after speaking to the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, Anabela Perozek, in October. Perozek, a former Staples VP who joined the ShoeBuy team in February 2014, had said then that the brand was going through a “transitional period.”

“We’re really trying to get the word out about who we are and and what we stand for,” Perozek said in October.

Then, Perozek described the general overhauls ShoeBuy would be tackling, such as improving the site and the shopping experience, updating the infrastructure, bettering customer service practices and increasing brand awareness through forums like social media.

ShoeBuy, Perozek explained, is a big company with lots of resources that still operates like a small company. Over its 15 years, more than 1,200 brands have joined the e-commerce store, and just this year, the company announced it had acquired a minority stake in local footwear brand Boston Boot Co.

This week, Perozek told BostInno in an email that ShoeBuy has “learned a bit along the way” about online shopping: while the company always offers free shipping and returns, buying footwear over the Web is something that ShoeBuy is constantly working on improving, to help customers find the “perfect match.”

Now that the brand relaunch is complete (at least, in its first phase), here’s what customers, both old and new, can expect from the improved ShoeBuy, in addition to the capital B.

First is ShoeBuy’s refocused promise to “deliver shoe confidence.” In order to make customers of all kinds feel comfortable in their purchases, the company rolled out several key components, like a virtual fitting tool for optimal sizing; a blog titled “Inside the Box,” containing expert insight and shopping advice; more prominent customer reviews of products; and an online chat function to enable live chatting with customer service reps. In addition to the immediate roll out, ShoeBuy plans to continue enhancing the online and customer service experience throughout 2015.

The shopping “confidence” mantra that serves as the catch-all umbrella for these updates is a main component in the new brand identity that Perozek set out to build.

In an email to BostInno, she said:

We want customers to be confident that they’ll love what they purchase, and if not, that ShoeBuy will be there to help – whether they need help finding the fit that’s right for them; prefer different size, color or style altogether; or perhaps they simply don’t like what they purchased. But really, we want to combine that moment of shopping euphoria with the confidence that you’ll love what you purchased every single time you shop with ShoeBuy.

On top of the functions that ShoeBuy hopes will drive customer assurance and trust, the brand has rolled out a new logo, homepage, checkout process and overall improved site functionality.

Compare the two logos below:

For its fifteenth anniversary, ShoeBuy is overcoming the growing pains that a 20th century-founded company experiences in a digitally forward world. When asked about how ShoeBuy’s relaunch will help it compete with modern retailers, Perozek said:

In retail, and especially online, you have to keep innovating. We’ve based all of these exciting changes on a lot of customer feedback and consumer research, but we also know that we’ll need to keep delivering on our commitment to building a great customer experience.

Another stroke of innovation is the company’s update rewards program. ShoeFan Rewards is a program that aims to build customer loyalty, and now through Feb. 25, ShoeFan Rewards is offering a user sign-up incentive in the form of a $10 credit. Additionally, those who like or follow ShoeBuy on social media can enter the “Share & Win What’s Inside the Box” sweepstakes to win a years’ worth of shoes. Fifteen more winners will get a $15 credit.

Unfamiliar with ShoeBuy? Explore the Boston company, or if you’re a returning customer, navigate the new look here.

Images via ShoeBuy