Israel Shipping & Selling eCommerce Guide

Israel is a very promising and encouraging eCommerce market for online businesses that want to expand internationally. The country’s Internet penetration is high and the market mature and growing. Shipping to Israel is, overall, a great idea thanks to the rapid growth of eCommerce there in recent years!

Before you start shipping to Israel, it’s important to better understand it’s economy and eCommerce market. To that end, here’s a closer look at a few market insights, popular online retail platforms, shipping restrictions to Israel and other important information!

Robust eCommerce Revenue Growth in Israel

Israel has a total population of 8.5 million with Hebrew as its official language. Although English is also spoken in the country, eCommerce businesses looking into shipping to Israel should strongly consider creating Hebrew language versions of their website to find more success and appeal to as broad of an audience as possible.

The Israeli eCommerce market has seen strong growth in recent years. Per Statista, eCommerce revenue in 2019 amounted to $3.8 billion with impressive 13.4 percent year-over-year growth. By 2023, eCommerce revenue is expected to grow by roughly 10.4 percent annually, indicating robust growth in the years ahead.

In addition, Internet user penetration sits at 69.1 percent as of 2019, a figure expected to grow to 75.1 percent by 2023. The total number of eCommerce users in Israel currently sits at 5.9 million with an expected year-over-year growth rate of 3.9 percent.

Notably, eCommerce spending per capita in Israel is also $1,361, ninth-highest in the entire world.

Overall, these statistics indicate that Israel has a thriving eCommerce market that’s only set to grow more in the coming years!

Local, International Online Marketplaces Remain Popular in Israel

Many local and international online merchants sell successfully in Israel. A few of the most popular online marketplaces in the country include:

• eBay
• Walla! Shops
• P1000
• Getit
• BestBuy

Electronic and Media Items Most Commonly Bought Online

The top category of items bought online in Israel are electronic and media products, followed by fashion and baby items. Entertainment and education products and home appliances are also frequently bought online in Israel.

Traditional, Digital Payment Options Popular in Israel

The top payment methods in Israel include:

• Credit and debit cards
• PayPal
• E-wallet

Major Holidays Offer Prime Selling Opportunities

As with many countries, major holidays are popular buying and selling periods.

The most celebrated holidays in Israel are Hanukkah and New Year's. Huge sales are offered on these occasions, as are winter sales that last until around March. Black Friday and Cyber Monday have also surged in popularity in recent years among online shoppers in Israel.

Shipping to Israel

Before shipping to Israel, it’s important to understand available courier services, whether major eCommerce platforms like Amazon ship to Israel and the current shipping restrictions to Israel. Here’s a look at just that!

Local and International Couriers in Israel

All the major international couriers offer to shipping to Israel. FedEx, DHL, UPS and USPS shipping to Israel are all viable options to consider, each with their own advantages to weigh before choosing the right one.

Popular local courier services in Israel also include:

• TNT
• Chita Delivery
• Aramex Aqaba

The best way to find shipping to Israel from the U.S. and other markets is to use Easyship's rates calculator to calculate the estimated shipping rates of different couriers to see which one suits your company best. These options can offer you cheap shipping to Israel from anywhere in the world, as well as the fastest and best value options available!

Just knowing ways to get cheap shipping to Israel from the U.S. and elsewhere isn’t enough. There are other very important factors you need to know before shipping to Israel, including whether major platforms like Amazon ship there and what the shipping restrictions to Israel currently are.

Does Amazon Ship to Israel?

Yes, Amazon does offer shipping to Israel. Though it's not as popular as eBay, Amazon started offering free shipping there in 2018. A number of item restrictions remain, but free shipping on orders $80 or more is currently available in Israel via Amazon.

Shipping Restrictions and Prohibitions in Israel

For security and economic reasons, a number of shipping restrictions to Israel are in place. Here’s a closer look at them.

Restricted items in Israel:

These items can be shipped, but only after fulfilling applicable regulations. Complete documentation, license information, information about the intended destination and origin, including information about the manufacturer, must be provided for the following:

• Perishable goods
• Alcoholic beverages
• Plants
• Seeds
• Tobacco and tobacco products

Prohibited items in Israel:

A number of product categories are outright prohibited in Israel. These include:

• Hazardous materials
• Bearer documents
• Chemicals
• Precious metals and jewelry
• Firearms

You can find a more complete list of prohibited and restricted items here.

In addition, the country imposes a 17 percent VAT and has a tax and duty threshold of $75. Many items, such as mobile devices, computers, watches, jewelry and luggage, are free of import duties, though fashion items and health and beauty products are face import duties of six and 12 percent, respectively.

Israel: A Great eCommerce Opportunity

Israel offers a thriving eCommerce market that continues to grow every year, making it a great opportunity for those looking into growing their eCommerce business cross-border.

Easyship can help with your international expansion by enabling you to ship to growth markets like Israel. Sign up free of charge and start shipping to Israel today!