What the marketplaces say
Pure white is required on some platforms and recommended on the rest:
- Amazon — product shots should in most cases be against white (RGB 255, 255, 255), with the product filling at least 85% of the frame [1].
- Walmart Marketplace — seamless white (255/255/255), square 1:1, 2200 × 2200 px recommended, no watermarks, logos or promo claims on the main image [2].
- Google Merchant Center — a solid white or transparent background, product filling 75–90% of the image, no watermarks, logos, borders or promotional text [3].
- eBay — recommends a white or neutral background; no added borders, text or watermarks [4][5].
- Shopify — recommends a pure white background, a paper sweep, and retouching the background to pure white in editing [6].
“Almost white” isn't white
A photo shot on white paper usually comes out light grey, with a shadow at the bottom. Marketplaces that ask for RGB 255, 255, 255 mean exactly that — which is why sellers either retouch the background or, as here, cut the product out and place it on pure white. Google Merchant Center also warns that light-coloured products on a transparent background may be shown on black, so white is safer than transparent for pale items [3].
Shooting for a cleaner cut-out
Where you can't use an edited white background
Official ID photos are different. The UK asks for a plain, light-coloured background and a photo unaltered by computer software [8], and the US and India have similar no-editing rules. For passports and visas, take a new photo against a plain wall rather than editing the background.
