Coming2Israel.com - Shopping In Israel Overview

  What can we say?  Israelis love to shop.  We love a bargain or a good deal and we’re not shy to ask you or tell you about where and what we or you bought.  For better or for worse, Israel has become a consumer nation.  If something exists for sale in the world, you can probably find it somewhere here.  Granted, the pricing is not always the cheapest, but if you need it, you can probably buy it. And, we have some unique, interesting and great places to shop.  From the outdoor markets (Shuk), to boutique and specialty shops, to the big shopping malls and just about everything in-between, if you have a need to spend some money - engage in some Retail Therapy - we have the places to help you spend it.  After all, we are here for you. So, on this page you’ll find information about shopping in Israel, regarding things like: • How you can pay for your purchases. • Shop hours for private stores, outdoor markets, and the shoping malls • Holiday store hours • Paying VAT and getting refunds • And, at the bottom of this page is our links to our places to shop in Israel. First, let us start with some basics:

How to Pay:

See our Israeli Currency Primer Web Page Here: Coming2Israel.com “Show Them The Money!”

Shop Hours:

Private Stores.

Most private stores, or stores that are located on streets (as opposed to a shopping mall) are open from - Sunday to Thursday from 09:00 AM to 07:00 PM or 08:00 PM.  Fridays from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM or 03:00 PM. Saturdays they are usually closed, but they may open for a few hours after sundown on Saturday evening. Some shops still use “Siesta” hours where they will close for a couple of hours in the early afternoon. And some will close early, similar store hours of a typical Friday closing time, one day in the middle of the week. Most, if not all of these stores will post their opening hours in their store window. For more information on Israeli Jewish and National Holidays, including the Sabbath, visit our web page: Coming2Isreal.com Holidays Page

Outdoor Markets.

Generally speaking, outdoor markets are a daytime - read daylight - affair.  So if the sun is still out, they are probably open for business.  Places like the Market (Shuk) in the Old City of Jerusalem may stay open later into the evening. BUT, not all markets are open every day.  There are some that only open on certain days of the week.  For example, the crafts market in Tel Aviv is only open on Thursdays. To avoid disappointment, it’s always better to check ahead.

Shopping Malls.

The bigger shopping malls are usually open for business as follows: Sunday to Thursday from 09:00 AM to 09:00 PM or 10:00 PM.  Fridays from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM or 03:00 PM. Saturdays the shopping malls are usually closed, but they may open for a few hours after sundown on Saturday evening. In fact, most of the bigger malls, if they were closed Saturday, will open the Saturday evening. There are some shopping malls in Israel that are open on Saturdays, all day.  But even if they mall is open Saturday, there are probably some stores that will still be closed within the mall to honor the Sabbath.  Also note that even if a shopping mall is open on Saturday, just about every store or shopping mall in Israel will close early on Friday.

Holiday Store Hours.

For Jewish Religious, or National Holidays or Remembrance days, the opening/closing hours the day before the holiday and the actual day of the holiday are like the hours of a typical Friday and Saturday - closing early on Friday and closed on Saturday, at least until sundown Saturday evening. As an FYI, there are also a couple of times per year that, due to the significance of the day, everything must be closed for that day. For more details see our Coming2Israel.com Jewish Calendar / Sabbath / Holiday Primer here: Coming2Israel.com Jewish Calendar / Sabbath / Holiday Primer As always, there are exceptions to all listed above.

VAT - Value Added Tax.

Yes, we too are also trying to find the value added by tax.  No luck yet.  The current VAT rate in Israel is 17.00%.  No, that is not a typo.  17.00%  Seventeen percent.  Tell us about it. The good news is that there are goods and services that a Tourist in Israel is exempt from paying the VAT. And for some purchases, you can claim back the VAT you paid the store for the good(s) you purchased. There are rules and limitations, of course.  Aren’t there always? Here is a link that we found from The State Of Israel, Ministry of Finance web site with regards to VAT and tourists in Israel: Israel Tax Authority - Income Tax - VAT -Customs - Customs Guide for Tourists From that page; Section 6 deals with:  6. VAT REFUND FOR TOURISTS WHO PURCHASED GOODS IN ISRAEL. Basically goods that a Tourist may have purchased for “Export” out of Israel.  You know, you bought your significant other jewelery, or Judaica and such. In a nutshell, if you are buying bigger ticket items (over 400 NIS), and you shopped in a store that shows the VAT Refund sticker, you get the right receipt and you are in the right line with enough time at the airport, you’ll get the money back that you spent on the VAT, minus their commission rate.   C2I Tip: If you are planning on getting your VAT money back, give yourself enough time at the airport, because once you leave the country, you won’t get any refund at all.  They do not send refunds anywhere by mail or any other form of delivery. Section 7 deals with:  7. VAT (ZERO RATE) FOR TOURIST SERVICES IN ISRAEL This section deals with services a tourist must purchase during a stay in Israel.  Things like hotel rooms, car rentals and some meals.  You should take the time to read them and understand the terms and conditions of each section. Lastly, there is no VAT charged in Eilat. All purchases made in the city if Eilat are VAT free.  An 17.00% discount just for showing up!

Coming2Israel.com Links For Your Shopping / Retail Therapy In

Israel:

Outdoor / Farmers Markets In Israel Shopping Malls In Israel Specialty Shops In Israel - By Specialty, we mean shops that you may not expect to see in Israel Retail Shops In Israel

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