Surviving in the retail industry is tough, and today, it's a battle for stores to keep their cash registers ticking over.

Surviving in the retail industry is tough, and today it's a battle for stores to keep their cash registers ticking over.

Last year saw the closure of almost 2000 fashion-led retail stores in the US with big names including J Crew, Guess, JC Penney, American Apparel, and Macy's closing down many of their owner-operated stores.

It doesn't bode well for the future of brick-and-mortar retail and New Zealand hasn't been immune to the shifting mood.

Topshop closed its doors in September last year, with its Wellington store only just surpassing the one-year mark in the city's busy business district.

Kiwi designer Andrea Moore shut up shop went into liquidation after a solid 20 years in the business.

While industry insiders remain tight-lipped about the brand's demise, it's hard to ignore.

And footwear label Minnie Cooper - a brand known for is classic-style, quality handcrafted leather shoes - also closed its last store early this year.

The rapid rise of e-commerce is partly to blame for the changes in shopping habits.

But fingers also point to Millennials who opt for experiences and travel over material purchases.

Online shopping is here to stay and it has made life easier for consumers who can now purchase products from anywhere in the world.

But the downside for retailers is an increasingly competitive space where brick-and-mortar stores need to be more innovative and conscious of strategies to keep customers walking through their doors with purchases in hand.

So what do people actually want, and are physical stores still relevant?

Simon Pound, is the co-founder and managing director for womenswear label, Ingrid Starnes, and says their brick and mortar stores go hand-in-hand with the e-commerce side of the business.

Each season the store receives a makeover and the same change is reflected online, Pound tells me from the brand's Ponsonby store.

"It's more for us to keep things fresh and to match the season's clothes."

Pound wouldn't comment on the closure of fashion retailers in New Zealand but says Ingrid Starnes is a very different business with unique offerings.

The label has a custom service and its own line of perfume and luxury toiletries.

The Ingrid Starnes Ponsonby store has been an important base for customers who want to experience the brand through a full collection and shop fit-out, Pound says, and helps to fill in the Ingrid Starnes story…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details