Influencer Power: iHerb and Mami Drive 32% Surge in Israeli Online Orders
A new collaboration between US giant iHerb and influencer Maayan Adam's Mami club led to a 32% surge in Israeli online orders, highlighting the growing economic clout of social media marketing.
The immense power of social media influencers in Israel was starkly demonstrated last month when US health products giant iHerb launched a new collaboration with the Mami consumer club, founded by Maayan Adam. Adam has long transcended traditional influencer status, yet club members primarily follow her recommendations, a dynamic underscored by Mami CEO Ofir Yosef in a joint interview with Globes. Within this framework, double benefits and enhanced digital currency accumulation were offered via the club's credit card. Consequently, iHerb secured fourth place in Shop Analytics' August ranking of online shopping trends among Israelis, registering a 32% surge in order volume. The average basket stood at NIS 225, with dietary supplements and personal care items dominating purchases.
"Maayan Adam is shattering a local glass ceiling, demonstrating the clout of an Israeli influencer even on a major international platform like iHerb," notes Shop Analytics CEO Nati Yaakov. Notably, this is not Adam's first sales catalyst for the platform; following a television campaign in February 2025, sales spiked by 60% that same month.
Overall online orders by Israelis on leading platforms rose by 4% in August compared to July, with international sites alone posting an 8% increase. China's AliExpress retained the top spot with a 9% growth in orders, largely fueled by back-to-school promotions and upgraded customer experience, including shortened delivery times, lowered free shipping thresholds, and prepaid customs duties. Israelis' enduring penchant for overseas travel also propelled three tourism heavyweights into the rankings: booking platform Booking.com at sixth place, airline Wizz Air at eighth, and Agoda at ninth. Meanwhile, payment platform FlyLink debuted at tenth place, having gained traction among consumers purchasing brand replicas via external checkout links shared across buying groups and social networks.
Domestic e-commerce sites experienced a 2% decline in order volume compared to the previous month. Nevertheless, electronics and appliance retailer KSP maintained the number one position domestically with a stable order volume and an average shopping basket of approximately NIS 330. Super-Pharm claimed second place, operating essentially as a marketplace spanning multiple categories, with an average basket of roughly NIS 230 excluding marketplace items. Supermarket chain Shufersal ranked third, doubling the order volume of its competitor Rami Levy. In the fashion sector, Terminal X led the charge in fourth place with an average basket of NIS 369, followed by Delta in seventh, Fox in ninth, Zara in tenth, and casual wear brand Addict in 17th. Bookstore chain Steimatzky doubled its orders in eighth place, while Promise made its debut at the bottom of the domestic table, specializing in direct marketing of beauty products via influencer collaborations.
