Kim holds degrees in apparel merchandising and retail management, fashion merchandising, fashion design and marketing, and clothing and textiles. She teaches in the areas of retail promotion, international retailing and retail shopper analysis. Her research interests include impulse buying behavior, visual merchandising, and online retailing and consumer behavior. In 2006, Kim received the Lectra Innovation Award for Faculty Research from the International Textiles and Apparel Association for her excellence in research. Her research is published in journals, such as the International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management and Psychology and Marketing, as well as in various national and international conference proceedings.