“The question of whether people are even in the mood and mindset for shopping right now is a very individual one. Everyone has their own internal motivations. Some people feel that this is their time to support an Israeli business. Others, I assume, are purchasing less, and there are those for whom escapism helps them cope with the situation,” says Nathalie Tenne, an e-commerce innovation expert and manager of the business community for ShoppingIL by Google.
November is considered the annual celebration of online shopping, accompanied by many discounts and deals. During the sale days, physical stores also join in, showcasing many sales. The year-end shopping events in Israel start with ShoppingIL on November 6-7, continue with Singles’ Day (November 11), followed by Black Friday (November 28), and conclude with Cyber Monday (December 1, 2025).
ShoppingIL, the Israeli online shopping event that will take place for the 11th year, began as an initiative by Google aimed at strengthening and promoting the local e-commerce industry, helping Israeli businesses grow, supporting blue-and-white products, and providing consumers with a good, diverse, and worthwhile shopping experience. Data from Google shows that every year, the ShoppingIL sale days lead to a significant increase in consumer preference for Israeli brands. Last year, for example, 72% of Israelis searched for local businesses during these days. Many of the businesses that participate in the sale days report a significant increase in daily revenue compared to regular days.
Helping Local Businesses
“Last year, the war caught us when everything was already prepared for ShoppingIL; businesses were ready with their media kits and branding, and we basically had to recalculate our route,” Tenne recounts. “There was a question of whether it was right or wrong to hold the shopping event, and in the end, we listened to the businesses themselves, many of whom said that the event itself helps them emphasize that they must continue to operate for their economic survival.”
For years, the event has been held over 48 hours. “Last year,” Tenne says, “since the event was supposed to take place a month after the war broke out—a time when everyone was frozen and shocked—we left the registration open for participation in the shopping event for a whole month instead of just two days. We kept the campaign running, and the media kit that the businesses received conveyed more the message of ‘Come support local businesses, come support the Israeli economy.’ It wasn’t a regular event where the focus is on deals and low prices. Nowadays, businesses are already talking about commerce as commerce, discussing deals, but at that time, the conversation was more about ‘Come support me, I’m a small blue-and-white business and I need to survive this period.’”
According to Tenne, last year over 3,000 local businesses registered for the ShoppingIL events, and she believes that this year the numbers will be similar. “Every year, any business that wants to participate in ShoppingIL must register through our website, and we provide them with a digital branding kit that includes the event logo, banners, and files that can help them with advertising. The business just needs to add their logo and their marketing message. This basically allows all the businesses to speak the same language, and during those 48 hours, it focuses consumers on purchasing from Israeli businesses instead of going to international sites. On our part, we promote the event through billboards, television advertising, and various digital campaigns.”
Tenne adds that they collaborate with the Economy Ministry and with Fiverr, which provides a platform for freelance services. “Over 80% of the businesses participating in the event are small and medium-sized,” she says. “Among the businesses are also those that don’t have all the digital skills and need the help of a professional for their campaign. For them, we gathered freelancers on a landing page on Fiverr who understand these fields and speak Hebrew. Google subsidizes these services, making it easy for the business to find a professional for their campaign at a subsidized price.”
This year, the ShoppingIL event returns to the 48-hour format only, and Tenne has a clear message: “Especially during this complex time, instead of sending money out, support local businesses. On Singles’ Day, for example, people buy from AliExpress, on Black Friday they buy from American sites. And especially now, in light of the situation, our message has gained even more urgency and meaning: Come shop at Israeli sites. Let’s help each other survive this period.”
A Quarter Million Items a Day
“Last year, all the international sites prepared for the shopping holidays, and then following October 7, due to the outbreak of the war and the difficult feelings among Israelis, and also the fact that there were no flights for several weeks—the international companies, including AliExpress, Amazon, Next, Shein, and Temu—basically stopped the deals planned for November for the Israeli audience and postponed them to 2024,” says Eran Crystal, VP of Commerce at Israel Post. “In the first quarter, there was a significant rise in online purchases. One could say that the shopping celebration lasted even until May. Additionally, over the past year, the whole shipping issue has improved significantly. Nowadays, when you order an item from any of the platforms, it takes just a few days. E-commerce companies have learned to deal with, for example, the issue of fewer passenger flights by using cargo flights. Packages are arriving all the time.”
What is the forecast for the shopping holidays this month?
“From the conversations I’ve had with trading companies, their forecast for Israel in November this year is a 20%-30% increase in sales compared to August-October. They are preparing for completely regular shopping holidays. On our part, we are strengthening our systems across all lines. Our sorting capacity has increased significantly in the past year; we are able to sort a quarter of a million items a day, and we have new automation systems. The packages are delivered to a network of 1,400 delivery points, branches, and post offices located all over the country where residents live. As for evacuated communities, like Kiryat Shmona for example, residents pick up items from the communities where they currently reside. We also have a large network of couriers and mail carriers, and some items are delivered straight to homes.”
Israel, Crystal emphasizes, is a very significant e-commerce country. “92% of Israelis shop online. About 50% of Israelis shop every week. That amounts to over 70 million items a year arriving from abroad. This is a very large quantity, with a growth rate of 10%-12% per year. We frequently meet with international e-commerce sites, and they say they are not giving up on Israel, that Israel is a very significant e-commerce country, even a star.”
Just before you decide to buy a specific item, Israel Post reminds you that if you order items worth more than $75, there is a tax on the entire amount, and sometimes additional costs for customs clearance and related expenses. Additionally, there are items that are prohibited from being brought into the country, such as communication devices on certain frequencies, weapons, motorcycle helmets, and more, so it’s important to check the legality of importation before ordering.
“Living in Uncertainty”
“During the shopping holidays, we witness high demand for electronic products, such as robotic vacuum cleaners, televisions, speakers, headphones, and more,” says Lior Hemo, CEO of the LastPrice shopping site. “This year, due to the complexities of sea and air shipping resulting from the war, the inventory on Israeli sites selling these products may be more limited. The deals might also be more modest, and the depth of the discount might be lower. On the other hand, if there’s a catastrophe and there are no sales, they might deepen the deals. We are currently living in a state of a lot of uncertainty, so it’s hard to predict accurately.
“If you had talked to me at the end of October two years ago, I could have told you much more precisely what my opening and closing deal would be. Today, as mentioned, there is less certainty; everything depends on the security situation and the emotional state. All this has a significant impact on the deals. For example, we allow customers shopping in November to receive credit of NIS 990 on a price difference if the price of an item they’ve already purchased is lower by more than 5% during the shopping holidays.”
If you were looking for a specific product and didn’t find it in stock or its price hasn’t dropped significantly, Hemo advises being open to parallel models. “The iPhone 16 Pro Max is hard to find, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is in stock, and I’m sure it will be worth buying it in November in terms of deals, and there’s not much difference between them. It’s important to come with an open mind, and then there will definitely be good deals,” he recommends.
“They Are Deceiving Us”
“My biggest tip for consumers is to buy what you need, when you need it. There are sales all year round, not just during shopping holidays. Right now, the advertising boost is particularly strong,” says Uri Ovrutsky, an advertising expert, marketing specialist, and innovation lecturer at the Academic College of Netanya.
“Throughout the year, we sit on the couch and see websites and deals on our phones, and it all feels like one big hysteria,” he describes. “We don’t compare or check prices. We buy not necessarily because of the price and often out of boredom. It’s clear that most of the things we buy from overseas sites are not really needed. Seventy percent of it is junk—clothes, rags, smartphone accessories. These are products we buy online and offline all year long. They are not things you wait for during the shopping month. Our shopping experience simply intensifies in November.”
“I don’t know many people who actually wait for the shopping month sales,” he adds. “It creates a boost, for instance, if I see a TV I need, but I would have bought it even without the shopping month. We’ve also realized we’re being played.”
What do you mean?
“You can see very low base prices on various sites throughout the year. Almost everything has a ‘70% off’ label next to it. We’re already used to buying as if it’s a crazy sale even outside of November. We’re not in a shopping month; we’re in a shopping year, all the time. Companies can’t base everything on just one month. During the shopping month, they just add another boost, another story to the campaign.”
Fertile Ground for Scammers
“While we are all searching for great deals, scammers and hostile entities are lurking and waiting for the opportunity to harm us,” warns Yonatan Ben-Horin, director of the Israeli Internet Association’s safe internet helpline. “During this time, especially in light of the security situation, we are witnessing an increase in attempts at fraud and phishing. The combination of these two factors—the security situation and the shopping month—creates fertile ground for scammers and hostile entities.”
How can we minimize damage while shopping online?
“First of all, be cautious of suspicious deals. A golden rule is that if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is a scam. Also, be aware that scammers exploit the excitement and anticipation for shopping holidays to create a sense of urgency and lead us to make hasty decisions. They will promote tempting offers and fake lotteries designed to entice us to provide personal information or money. Therefore, do not click on suspicious links you receive via email, WhatsApp, or SMS. Type the website address manually into your browser to ensure you are on the correct site.”
In addition, Ben-Horin notes, it is advisable to check that the site is reputable, has a good reputation, and has positive reviews from other users, with clear and available contact methods. He adds that when shopping, you should ensure that the ‘lock’ symbol appears in the address bar and that the site is secured with HTTPS protocol. Another recommendation is to avoid public Wi-Fi when making purchases online. Another tip is to use an intermediary service, such as online payment services like PayPal, Google Pay, or Apple Pay, which do not expose your credit card details to the shopping site.
“Scammers also exploit our desire to help,” concludes Ben-Horin. “For example, they may take advantage of shopping holidays to offer to donate products to war victims, products that will not reach their destination in the case of fraud. Therefore, it is wise to be cautious, and if you have been affected, report to us at the safe internet helpline at: safe.org.il.”