Founded in 1999, Shoebuy is one of the oldest, most established e-commerce meccas in Boston. The company’s headquarters are centrally located in the bustling Downtown Crossing neighborhood – not tucked away in a quiet Boston suburb like other local shoe companies. And the online retailer is home to one of the largest selections of footwear, selling hundreds of thousands of products from around 1,200 brands at reasonable price points.

So how come Shoebuy is often looked over as a Boston-based brand?

It might be that the site is from a different era of Boston tech. Amidst splashy, design-oriented sites in today’s e-commerce age, Shoebuy’s online facade isn’t as pretty as flash-sale companies like Rue La La and Gilt City. Shoebuy was founded in the 20th century, and while its website is practical, it’s certainly not cutting edge. And in 2014, the user experience is a key component to a website’s success – just ask any budding startup currently posted up in a Boston incubator.

While Shoebuy might have preceded the buzz of Boston’s post-millenium startup boom, it’s established itself as an online retail giant. Still, with a new Chief Marketing Officer at the helm, Shoebuy is prepared to become more prominent in the local public’s eye with a redesigned website, heightened social media strategy and improved, more engaged customer service.

Anabela Perozek worked at Staples, another locally headquartered company, for 15 years, most recently serving as the brand’s VP of marketing. In February of 2014, Perozek joined the Shoebuy team as the CMO, and in just eight months, she has been able to accomplish enough to poise the company for a brand relaunch as early as January of next year.

Recently, over lunch at Petit Robert Central (the restaurant located below Shoebuy’s Arch Street offices), Perozek described Shoebuy’s current atmosphere, as well as what they need to change.

“It’s a company that, since it is big enough, it has a lot more resources than a typical startup,” she said. “And it’s going through a transitional period, where we’re really trying to get the word out about who we are and and what we stand for. It’s really exciting to come into a company at a time where there’s a lot going on. It’s a fairly nimble organization.”

Between 200 and 250 people work at Shoebuy, and while it’s certainly not a startup, Perozek doesn’t define it as a big company either. Rather, she said, they “still operate like a small company.” The team functions in an open-office environment, which allows and encourages collaboration: anyone from any division can hop in and provide their opinion where they see fit, according to Perozek. And for a company facing big changes, that’s important.

The details of the new transitions are currently under wraps, so Perozek couldn’t get into specifics, but she promised that Shoebuy is investing “a lot” in improving the site and the shopping experience, as well as updating the infrastructure. Equally important, they plan to increase brand awareness. And one way they plan to make that happen is through social media.

Erin Maratea is the director of Shoebuy’s PR and social media and, according to Perozek, she started at “ground zero.” As the company was founded 15 years ago, the importance of a brand’s social media presence didn’t come into focus until long after Shoebuy was up and running. Today, Maratea leverages Shoebuy’s Facebook and Twitter accounts as ways to spread the word about what the company has to offer; for example, it’s more than just shoes. Shoebuy sells handbags, accessories and fitness apparel, among other items, and social media campaigns get those products in front of followers.

Another unique aspect that comes as a result of both Shoebuy’s flexibility as an online retailer and wide inventory is the ability to adapt quickly to what’s happening in the world. This is another facet that Maratea relates back to the importance of prevalent social media posts.

“We can push open-toe booties during a heat wave in December, and make changes so quickly. The inventory that’s in a store is in a store, you can’t make changes and help customers with immediate needs if things change externally,” said Maratea. “We don’t have to have our boot selection out in August, when we know people are still buying sandals.”

In addition to more engagement through social media, Shoebuy plans to up its customer service practices. Perozek said that while the company’s current customer service team efficiently solves issues, it’s taking an extra step that can set a brand apart.

“Do you put a smile on the customer’s face? It’s the less tangible stuff, but we want to be able to make customers just say, ‘Awe, I wasn’t expecting that,'” she explained.

With these improvements in mind – an updated shopping experience, a stronger social media presence and enhanced customer engagement – Perozek believes the factors that set Shoebuy apart at its core will be amplified as well. Perozek defined those as the company’s prices and selection:

“We have very compelling value offerings, and we have the widest selection of shoes in the market,” she said.

Those key ideals that define Shoebuy as a brand will remain true as the company works to reinvent itself in other ways. For that, Perozek and Maratea chart Shoebuy as a “growing Boston company,” even if its founding year dates back to the 90s.

“Boston has such great talent here, and we’ve done a great job of tapping into that as we expand and grow,” said Maratea.

Perozek built off of that, adding, “The commitment to grow and be a very serious player is there. Having people know that we’re here, that we’re growing and we’re investing heavily. And now, we’re able to innovate.”

Images via Shoebuy