How Aesop Grew In-Store Conversion Rates by 4% Points

“Moving to 90 per cent peak coverage changed everything for us. We improved conversion by four percentage points while holding labour hours flat, and that proved the model works.” – Dave Ferruggia, Head of Commercial Retail North America at Aesop 

Key Takeaways

• In-store conversion increased from 49 per cent in 2024 to 53 per cent in 2025 

• Achieved a 4 percentage point lift by targeting 90 per cent peak coverage 

• Delivered double-digit revenue growth with the same labour hours year over year 

• Aligned finance, operations, HR, and store leadership within one shared system 

• Replaced siloed planning with a unified, data-driven labour model 

Background 

Aesop is a global luxury skincare brand known for plant-based formulations and architecturally distinct stores co-created with designers and artists. With nearly 400 locations across 27 countries, including a growing North American presence, Aesop blends elevated service with intentional, calm retail environments. 

As the footprint expanded, maintaining luxury service standards while improving labour precision became more complex. Wage percentage had historically anchored planning, and stores built schedules from the bottom up based on localised assumptions. Over time, this created silos, inconsistent coverage, and limited visibility into how traffic patterns influenced conversion. 

To evolve beyond static payroll models, Aesop partnered with StoreForce to build a top-down, traffic-informed labour strategy rooted in measurable performance outcomes.

90% Peak Coverage Delivered a 4 Point Conversion Lift 

Aesop shifted from assumption-based scheduling to a data-informed peak coverage model. Instead of relying on inherited wage percentages, leadership aligned staffing to verified traffic patterns and in-store behaviours. 

By targeting 90 per cent peak coverage during high-traffic periods, Aesop ensured the right number of associates were present when customer intent was highest. Existing labour hours were redistributed to match real demand rather than increased. 

This adjustment translated directly into measurable performance gains: 

• In-store conversion increased from 49 per cent in 2024 to 53 per cent in 2025 
• A 4 percentage point improvement in one year 
• Conversion rates consistently exceeded company averages in stores hitting peak targets 

The improvement demonstrated that precision, not additional payroll, was the key driver of performance. 

Double-Digit Revenue Growth Without Increasing Labour Hours 

One of the most compelling outcomes was financial discipline paired with revenue acceleration. Aesop maintained the same total labour hours year over year while delivering double-digit revenue growth. 

This required cross-functional alignment. Finance, HR, commercial operations, and store leadership moved away from siloed decision-making and began working from the same data set. 

Key structural changes included: 

• Replacing bottom-up wage percentage planning with top-down traffic modelling 
• Introducing labour banding based on impact rather than legacy allocations 
• Making non-selling hours visible and measurable 
• Using available capacity reporting to understand true store potential 

The result was balanced wage costs, stronger sales productivity, and clearer visibility into how labour influenced performance.

Cultural Alignment Turned Data Into Action 

Operational change at Aesop was approached as a people-first transformation. Store managers and district leaders were involved early to build trust and ownership in the new process. 

Structured training, dry runs, and a Super User Program reinforced adoption across the field. Store managers began evaluating profitability within allocated hours. District managers took greater ownership of their P and L performance using real-time insights. 

This shift eliminated silos and established a shared playbook across departments. Decisions were grounded in performance data rather than assumptions or inherited models. 

In Aesop’s Own Words… 

“We were using five different tools. Payroll was based on sales assumptions, and the system felt disjointed. StoreForce didn’t just streamline the process, it helped us ask better questions. We used to operate in silos. Now we are aligned around one version of the truth. Improving conversion by four percentage points while holding labour steady showed our teams that this approach works and gives us confidence as we grow.” – Pauline Notari, Director of Retail Operations at Aesop 

Connect with StoreForce Today 

If you want the same conversion gains, financial alignment, and labour precision that Aesop achieved, it is time to see StoreForce in action. Whether you are working to improve peak coverage, balance wage costs against sales, or unite cross-functional teams under one data-driven playbook, StoreForce gives you the tools to take control of labour performance. Join leading retailers using StoreForce to increase conversion, protect margins, and strengthen execution across every store. Book a demo today and see how smarter labour planning can transform your results.