How do you beat skyrocketing retail space rent alongside competition from established chains and luxury brands? For emerging designers, the answer may lie in a Hong Kong-based app. But is encouraging customers to "shop elsewhere" self-destructive?

'Dynamic pricing' means prices can quickly adapt to reflect changing levels of supply and demand. When Uber, a private New York-based taxi service trialled the idea, some customers were charged over $80 per mile, causing widespread anger.

Every day, New Yorkers will visit their local café and pick up a coffee to go. The result? Around seven million paper coffee cups in the city are thrown away each day. Tackling the problem by shifting people’s behaviour, Good To Go is introducing a cup rental system.

Are you a New Yorker? Always craving a cup of coffee but want something more from a coffee shop experience than the corporate Starbucks offering? CUPS is a subscription service where people pay monthly to drink an unlimited amount of coffee at participating independent cafes.