Glitch or test? Amazon briefly offered unlimited free shipping to Israel for Prime me
Amazon briefly offered free shipping on large items to Israel for Prime members, leading to speculation about whether this was a technical glitch or a trial of a new service model. The offer was removed after a surge in orders for heavy products.
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Highlights how e-commerce giants test logistics and market expansion strategies in international regions.
Is Amazon preparing to change the way it ships to Israel for Prime members? For several days, Israeli shoppers were able to order exercise bikes, inflatable SUP boards, suitcases, computer monitors and other large products from the United States with free shipping. The unusual offer appeared late Wednesday and remained available until the middle of the weekend. Shoppers discovered that a large number of products, including expensive, bulky and heavy items, were suddenly eligible for free delivery to Israel for Amazon Prime members. 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. The offer disappeared Friday night, apparently after Amazon detected a surge in orders for heavy products from Israel.
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