We print on white text paper across all client projects. It is our recommended option for a scalable digital printing model. We can choose to go with cream color for books that are OK with 6 weeks delivery and minimum order quantity of 500.
We've built a scalable production model especially to support high-volume TikTok Shop and similar e-commerce orders and keeping the paper choice simple is part of what allows us to deliver consistently, quickly, and at the prices we do. White is the right paper for the vast majority of books, so standardizing on it doesn't compromise quality for our customers.
But Amazon KDP offers cream, isn't cream considered "better"?
Cream is a nice-to-have, not a need-to-have. In our experience, white paper is the right choice for the vast majority of books, and the difference rarely affects sales or reader satisfaction.
Do consumers actually care about paper color?
No and we've shipped millions of books to test that theory. When buyers browse on Amazon, in a bookstore, or on your website, they're choosing your book based on the cover, the description, the reviews, and the price. We've never seen a book succeed or fail because of paper color.
What types of books traditionally use cream?
Cream is a tradition mostly tied to literary fiction. Even there, it's no longer universal. The major trade publishers print most of their non-fiction, business, self-help, children's, cookbook, and technical titles on white paper.
Can I print 4-color (full color) images on cream paper?
No. Cream paper isn't suitable for 4-color printing, it wouldn't reproduce color images with the same impact, and the production cost would be prohibitive. If your book includes any color photos, illustrations, or charts, white is the only practical choice.