Production notes
CGI product images for Amazon and Shopify.Formats and rules.
A rejected image can hold up a product listing. Here are Amazon’s rules and Shopify’s recommendations, recorded on October 26, 2026, and what they mean for a 3D render.
In short: on Amazon, the main image needs a pure white background, the product filling 85% of the frame or more, and at least 1,000 px for zoom. It must show the actual product, so a 3D render there is a gray area and safer in secondary images. On Shopify, aim for 2048 × 2048 px square, in PNG or JPEG, under 20 MB.
What I offer: 3D packshots sized for marketplaces, on pure white or transparent backgrounds, with color and setting variants made from the same scene.
Amazon, Shopify and what I deliver
| Item | Amazon (main image) | Shopify | What I deliverMe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Pure white, RGB 255, 255, 255 | No background rule | Pure white, transparent or a set |
| Size | 1,000 px minimum on the longest side for zoom, 1,600 px or more recommended | Up to 5000 × 5000 px; 2048 × 2048 px for a square image | Rendered at the size you need, above these thresholds |
| Framing | Product fills 85% of the frame or more, whole product shown | Same aspect ratio for even collection thumbnails | Same angles and framing across variants |
| Formats | JPEG, PNG or TIFF | PNG, then JPEG recommended, under 20 MB | High-res PNG, transparent background on request |
| Not allowed | Added text, logos, watermarks, props not sold | No content rule | Clean main image, text kept for secondary images |
Amazon: the main image
The background must be pure white: RGB 255, 255, 255. A white at 252 barely shows, yet it can be flagged as a non-white background.
The product fills 85% of the frame or more, shown whole, with no multiple views in one image. Plan on at least 1,000 px on the longest side to enable zoom; Amazon recommends 1,600 px or more.
No text, added logos, watermarks or props that are not sold with the product. JPEG, PNG and TIFF files are accepted.
Amazon: where a 3D render fits
Amazon’s guidance asks that the main image show the actual product sold, with no illustrations. A photoreal 3D render is not mentioned: it is a gray area. Check your category’s style guide before using one there.
Secondary images leave more room: back, sides, close-ups of a detail, the product in use, and infographics showing size or a benefit. That is where a 3D render helps most, with an exploded view or a set.
Amazon gives the example of a toaster shown in a kitchen: in a mobile Sponsored Brands ad, click-through rates can be 40% higher than with a standard product image. That is Amazon’s own figure, for its own ads.
Shopify: size, format and file weight
Shopify accepts images up to 5000 × 5000 px, or 25 megapixels. For a square image, 2048 × 2048 px usually displays best.
Each file must be under 20 MB. PNG is the recommended format, then JPEG; TIFF, GIF, WebP, HEIC, BMP and SVG are also accepted.
On collection pages, images with different proportions display at different sizes. Keep the same aspect ratio across the whole range.
Generative AI or art-directed 3D
Generative AI is now built into sellers’ tools. Amazon Ads offers a lifestyle image generator at no additional cost, and Shopify’s media editor removes or replaces backgrounds with AI. To test an idea or launch a store fast, it is a real option.
The limits show over time. The generated product can drift from the real one, in a shape, a logo or a material, and angles change from one image to the next. When many stores use the same tools, their images often end up looking alike.
A 3D render starts from the exact model of the product. Angles, lighting and colors stay consistent across the range, and a distinct art direction gives the brand a recognizable look. Accurate, distinctive visuals help persuade and narrow the gap between the image and the product that arrives.
Still images remain the shopper’s main tool. In Baymard Institute’s testing, 59% of users skipped product videos and 83% did not try the 360° view, while still inspecting the product images closely.
What I deliver for a store
I render your 3D packshots to marketplace formats: pure white for the Amazon main image, a 2048 px square for Shopify, or your theme’s dimensions. I work in Cinema 4D and Octane Render, with previews to approve before the final render.
One scene produces the white-background version, the lifestyle variants and the color options, with the same angles and lighting. I deliver high-res PNG files, with a transparent background on request.
Pricing: one image, one angle, €450–600 excl. VAT; three angles, €700–1,100 excl. VAT. Color options and sets are quoted per project. A packshot can be delivered within a few days.
For a price that fits, use the online estimate, then send your brief with the “Request a quote” button.
Where these rules come from
Amazon: the official image guide (Seller Central) requires a login. The rules come from two posts by Amazon staff on the Seller Central forums (“Product Image Requirements and Best Practices” and “Product Photography Standards: What’s New in 2026”). The 40% figure comes from Amazon’s article on AI image generation for ads (aboutamazon.com).
Shopify: the “Product media types” help page (help.shopify.com) for size, weight and formats; the media editor help page for AI backgrounds. Baymard Institute: the “Video and 360 views” page of its product page research (baymard.com).
Recorded on October 26, 2026. These rules change: check them in your seller account before going live.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 3D render allowed as the Amazon main image?
The guidance asks for the actual product sold, with no illustrations, and does not mention 3D renders. It is a gray area: check your category’s style guide. In secondary images, a 3D render fits well.
What image size for Shopify?
2048 × 2048 px for a square image, in PNG or JPEG, under 20 MB. The maximum is 5000 × 5000 px.
White or transparent background?
Both have a use. Pure white, RGB 255, 255, 255, for the Amazon main image; a transparent PNG for your site, banners and layouts.
Why not generate everything with AI?
For testing, it is fast and cheap. For a product range, 3D keeps the exact product and the same angles from one image to the next, in a style of your own.
