On Monday, which happens to be Chinese Singles Day, the Chinese equivalent of Black Friday, Amazon launched free international shipping to Israel for orders of selected items over $49. On the same Monday, Amazon also officially launched its Hebrew language website.
But wait, there’s more: Amazon announced that as of this Monday, its global customers will be able to purchase over more than million products from different countries in different currencies, including, naturally, shekels.
And if all of this amazing news is not enough, Amazon on Monday has launched its customer service in Hebrew, too.
They just give and give and give.
“We are constantly innovating on behalf of our customers and, together with the launch today, we are making the shopping experience for our Israeli customers and Hebrew-speakers even better and more convenient,” Samir Kumar, VP of Amazon Exports and Expansion, said.
As can be discerned from the phrase “selected items,” Amazon’s free delivery to Israel offer does not include everything, but it does include thousands of products in several categories, marked “Free shipping to Israel.”
The Amazon Hebrew website is a shopping platform for Israeli vendors, who also have their independent sales websites. But the website is likely not aimed at Israelis, who prefer buying from international websites, which comes with VAT exemptions. The Hebrew Amazon sales are more likely aimed at international Hebrew speaking customers – and possibly Israeli residents who are intimidated by foreign language sales websites.
Israel may have a small population – just under 9 million – but apparently they all love shopping. According to Calcalist, the humongous Chinese sales website Alibaba lists Israelis in fourth place on its list of global transactions on last year’s Chinese Singles Day sales. So much so, that Alibaba has set up a direct shipping route to Israel to boost delivery times ahead of this Chinese Singles Day.
Ship that, Amazon.
