What it is
The framing effect is when people make different choices depending on how the same information is described. In a classic study, people chose differently between two programmes for an outbreak depending on whether outcomes were described as lives saved or lives lost, though the numbers were equivalent (Tversky and Kahneman, 1981). It connects to prospect theory, which describes how gains and losses are weighed differently (Kahneman and Tversky, 1979).
How strong is the evidence?
Moderate. A review separated three types of framing (Levin, Schneider and Gaeth, 1998):
- Attribute framing: describing one feature positively or negatively (“75% lean” vs “25% fat”). Effects are generally consistent.
- Risky choice framing: gains vs losses in choices with risk. Effects are real but vary more.
- Goal framing: “do this and gain X” vs “don’t and lose X”. Results are mixed.
For CRO, attribute framing (how you describe price, features and results) is the most relevant and the most reliable.
Examples
Ecommerce
- Honest: “Free returns for 60 days” rather than “Returns accepted within 60 days”. Same policy, clearer benefit.
- Honest: price per unit next to pack price, so people can compare.
- Misleading: “Save up to 70%!” when one item in the sale is 70% off and the rest are 10%.
SaaS
- Honest: “€15 a month, billed yearly (€180)”. The frame helps, the full price is visible.
- Honest: “98% of invoices paid on time” if the number is real and recent.
- Misleading: “Less than a coffee a day” while hiding a long contract or setup fee.
Ethics
Medium risk. Framing is unavoidable, so the question is whether the frame clarifies or conceals. Always show the full price and terms near the framed version, and use real numbers.
How to test it
- Hypothesis: “Because survey answers show shoppers worry about returns, we believe framing the returns policy as ‘Free returns for 60 days’ next to the button will increase orders, because it presents the policy as a benefit rather than a rule.”
- Primary metric: orders per visitor.
- Guardrails: return rate (a frame can attract people more likely to return), complaints.
- Keep everything else the same: a framing test changes only the words.
Related: loss aversion and conversion copywriting.