Kim Kardashian's Skims site ends direct shipping to Israel
The Skims international website has discontinued shipping to Israel. Shoppers are now redirected to the local site, where prices are often 17%-60% higher, though the platform now offers free shipping and no additional VAT on orders over 75 dollars.
International shipping from skims.com has been discontinued. Israeli customers, who previously ordered directly from the US site by paying a 35-shekel shipping fee and 18% VAT on orders over 75 dollars (229.5 shekels), are now redirected to skims.co.il or the Factory 54 platform. The local site offers free shipping within 2-4 days and now stocks larger sizes, such as XXXXL, though the variety of models and colors remains more limited than on the international site.
What are Israeli consumers losing? Primarily, access to better pricing, exclusive promotions, and a wider range of products. We conducted a price comparison to highlight the differences.
The Cupro Jersey Ruched Long Dress, for instance, retails for 849 shekels in Israel, compared to 198 dollars (approximately 605.9 shekels) in the US. Even accounting for VAT and shipping, the US price remains about 100 shekels cheaper. Comparisons with other markets show that while Israel is often more expensive than the US, it can sometimes be more affordable than the UK or Germany, depending on the item.
The Fits Everybody bandeau bra is priced at 219 shekels in Israel, which is 32% higher than the 165.2 shekels charged in the US. The price gap is even wider for the Fits Everybody Lace Boy Short: 99 shekels in Israel versus 61.2 shekels in the US—a markup of approximately 60%. Furthermore, the US site frequently offers "3-for-X" promotions that are unavailable in Israel, significantly increasing the value gap.
For shapewear, such as the Seamless Sculpt Strapless Thong Bodysuit, the price difference between Israel and the US is around 17%, largely due to tax implications. However, for bulk orders of 9-10 items, the savings from purchasing in the US can reach 5% or more. Additionally, several items available on the US site, such as silk lace shorts and specific crochet dresses, remain unavailable on the Israeli platform.
