The Amazon promotion on free shipping to Israel (for many, but not all, items, and on orders above $49) is still going on, with no end in sight or announced.

Interestingly, Globes is reporting that one of the issues bothering Amazon customers in Israel is that when they need to return items, they have to pack up the item, go to the post office, stand in line there for who knows how long, and pay to ship it back to Amazon. The returns experience is thus a hassle and nothing like the way it works in the USA. Presumably, some people might be hesitant to order form Amazon, due to not wanting to have to deal with returning items should that be necessary.

Amazon heard the complaints and acted. They will now, supposedly, ease the process for returns and make it free as well!

According to the report:

Amazon will provide buyers with pre-paid return stickers. Thus whoever wants to send back a product that they have bought can take it to a Menta convenience store (where DHL service centers are located) and order a courier free of charge and forego the painful procedure of returning products at the post office and paying for it themselves.

With customer service like that, local Israeli merchants really better step up the game or worry about losing business to Amazon. Have you ever tried to return anything to a store in Israel? They almost always fight with you, refuse to take it back, only give store credit, or make life difficult for you in whatever way possible...