University of Arizona Students Redefine Holiday Shopping Through “Meaning Over Money”
TUCSON, Ariz., November 3, 2025 — This holiday season, students in the University of Arizona’s Retailing & Consumer Science program are proving that creativity—not cost—defines value. Their Meaning Over Money project turns classroom learning into retail strategies that blend empathy, sustainability, and measurable business results.
“Constraint doesn’t limit creativity—it ignites it,” said Dr. Soo Hyun Kim, who guided the project. “Our students learned how consumers find meaning when resources are limited—and how retailers can transform that insight into innovation.”
Three Student-Designed Strategies for the 2025 Holiday Season
1. Pre-Loved, Re-Loved Gift Boxes – Curated secondhand bundles that make sustainable gifting fast and easy (+15 % basket size, +10 % sales).
2. Made by You, Wrapped by Us – Affordable personalization stations for local boutiques (+20 % gift sales, +8 % traffic).
3. Create Together Workshops – DIY experiences turning big-box stores into community hubs (+5 % craft-kit sales).
“We realized that people don’t stop giving when money is tight—they give differently,” said student (Peyton Balch). “Sustainability and affordability can bring even more joy.” “Every item already has a story—we’re helping shoppers give it a new chapter,” added (Isabella Morris). “As students, we wanted gifts that feel personal without overspending,” said Alex Gouws, a student participant. “These ideas make creativity accessible to everyone.”
Broader Impact
The project extends the collaborative research on Constraint-Driven Creativity (CDC), a framework showing how financial limitation can inspire innovation, sustainability, and moral value in consumption. Through Meaning Over Money, students demonstrated how empathy and data-driven strategy can coexist in retail education, translating consumer insight into sustainable growth and community engagement. The project
showcases the University of Arizona’s commitment to experiential learning and to preparing students to lead in a value-driven retail economy.
About the Program
The Retailing & Consumer Science program at the University of Arizona prepares students to become innovative retail strategists who integrate analytics, sustainability, and consumer empathy to navigate the evolving global marketplace.
Contact: Dr. Soo Hyun Kim, Associate Professor of Practice, Retailing & Consumer Science, Norton School of Human Ecology, University of Arizona Email: sookim@arizona.edu; Phone: 520-621-0830