How the way you describe age changes product value, UBC study finds
A UBC study shows that framing age as a number of years or as a specific year shifts how customers value items. Sellers can use the effect to their advantage.
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By Torontoer Staff
A University of British Columbia study finds that the way you describe the passage of time affects how customers perceive value. Products framed by a length of time, for example "10 years old," can register as older or newer than the same item labelled by a calendar year, like "from 2016," and that difference can change what buyers are willing to pay.
The research, published in the Journal of Marketing Research, calls this the year-length effect. It shows that for items in which age adds cachet, such as whiskey, describing age in years increases perceived value. For items where age detracts from value, like used electronics listed online, giving the purchase year tends to fetch higher prices.
How the year-length effect works
Lead author Deepak Sirwani and colleagues explain the effect with a psychological principle about how people mentally represent numbers. Our internal number scale is logarithmic, meaning that differences among smaller numbers feel larger than comparable differences among bigger numbers. That makes "one versus two" feel more distinct than "2020 versus 2021."
Our mental number line is logarithmic, meaning the difference between numbers feels smaller as they increase. The difference between 11 and 12 feels smaller than the difference between two and three. And the difference between 2020 and 2021 feels much smaller than the difference between one and two.
Dr. Deepak Sirwani, study co-author
When age is framed as a length, such as "10 years old," the numeric magnitude is more psychologically salient. That can inflate perceived age and, in categories where older is better, increase willingness to pay. Conversely, citing a calendar year keeps the item anchored to a point in time, which can make it feel more recent for older-sounding numbers, and therefore more desirable when age harms value.
Evidence from whiskey and online classifieds
The researchers tested the effect across different markets. In one experiment using whiskey, bottles described by their age in years sold for about nine per cent more than identical bottles described by a production year. Participants perceived the bottles as more valuable when the age was framed as a number of years.
In contrast, listings for used goods on Craigslist showed the opposite pattern. Items described only by the year they were purchased tended to sell for roughly 17 per cent more than identical items advertised as a number of years old. When age reduces perceived quality, a calendar-year frame made the items feel relatively newer and more valuable.
There is no one framing that is better than the other. It boils down to whether you would benefit from time feeling near or far.
Dr. Deepak Sirwani
Practical takeaways for buyers and sellers
The study offers simple guidance for anyone writing listings, labels, menus or product descriptions. Matching the frame to the category can nudge perceptions and prices without changing the product.
- For products that gain value with age, use lengths. Say "10-year-old whisky" or "aged 12 years" to make age feel substantial.
- For products where newer is better, use calendar years. List electronics or clothing as "purchased in 2019" rather than "four years old."
- Be consistent. Mixing frames in one listing can confuse buyers and reduce credibility.
- Use context. For antiques, vintage fashion, wine and spirits, emphasise years or age where appropriate. For tech, baby gear, and fast-wearing items, lead with dates or recent years.
How buyers can avoid framing bias
Shoppers can counter framing effects by converting between frames mentally. If a seller lists a product as "from 2016," calculate the age in years to compare against other listings described differently. Conversely, if a listing says "five years old," check the purchase year to verify how old it actually is.
- Do the math: convert years to calendar dates and vice versa.
- Ask sellers for the exact purchase or manufacture date when age matters.
- Compare items across multiple listings to spot consistent pricing patterns rather than relying on a single description.
Framing will not change objective quality, but it can change perceived quality enough to influence decisions. For sellers, small wording changes can translate into measurable price differences. For buyers, a quick conversion or an extra question can prevent being nudged by wording alone.
The year-length effect is a reminder that numbers carry psychological weight beyond their factual meaning. A deliberate choice of wording gives sellers a straightforward lever to shape perception, and gives buyers a simple habit to resist subtle persuasion.
consumer behaviourmarketingshoppingpsychologytips
