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<\/a><\/p>\nA glitch or a test? <\/p>\n
(Photo: Tada Images | Shutterstock)<\/p>\n
Even small, inexpensive items costing only a few dollars could be ordered with free shipping, in a model more reminiscent of major Chinese e-commerce platforms. Customers without Prime membership also saw unusually low shipping prices.<\/p>\n
The offer disappeared Friday night, apparently after Amazon detected a surge in orders for heavy products from Israel. But some shoppers are hoping it was not simply an error and may instead have been an early test of a broader free-shipping model for Israeli Prime subscribers. If so, it could mark a significant change for Israeli consumers.<\/p>\n
The number of items included in Amazon\u2019s regular free-shipping program to Israel has declined as flights to the country have decreased, and eligibility has long been limited to specific products, models and even certain colors or sizes.<\/p>\n
Amazon currently offers free shipping to Israel on qualifying purchases of more than $49. That program, which has operated with wartime interruptions since 2019, is available to all Amazon customers in Israel.<\/p>\n
The weekend offer, however, appeared to be aimed specifically at Prime subscribers, who pay $14.99 a month, with the first month free, or $139 annually.<\/p>\n
Asaf, who runs the \u201cPashut Zol\u201d shopping group on Telegram, told ynet that he believed the change resulted from an update Amazon introduced Wednesday night. \u201cIn my opinion, they made an update Wednesday night that caused everything shipped to Israel, whether normally free or paid shipping, to become free for Prime subscribers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat meant I could order a $5 toothpaste and have it delivered to my home without paying anything extra, and I could also order larger products that normally cost $100 or $200 to ship and suddenly get them delivered for free.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said shoppers ordered exercise bikes, suitcases and inflatable SUP boards. \u201cYou paid 429 shekels and got an inflatable SUP delivered to your home with all the equipment,\u201d he said. \u201cI ordered a 32-inch computer monitor for 558 shekels with free shipping, but even someone without Prime paid only $6.99 for delivery. These are things that cost much more in Israel, and that included VAT.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said shoppers also ordered workout benches for about $60, below Israel\u2019s VAT exemption threshold, for roughly 200 shekels delivered.<\/p>\n
The change also appeared to remove restrictions on clothing. \u201cUsually you find one color or one size included in free shipping over $49,\u201d Asaf said. \u201cHere, everything opened up for free shipping. All sizes, all colors, everything was shipped to Israel at no cost.\u201d<\/p>\n
At around 1 a.m. Friday, he said, Amazon apparently discovered what shoppers believed was a glitch and removed the free-shipping option. \u201cAt first we thought maybe this was policy, some kind of change they were testing, but apparently it was a mistake,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Asked whether Amazon could have been testing the Israeli market ahead of a broader change, Asaf said there was no way to know. \u201cIt\u2019s either a bug or a glitch, but it also could have been a test,\u201d he said. \u201cMaybe they were testing the system, seeing what it does, how people respond, how much sales increase and whether it is worth it for them.\u201d<\/p>\n