Most web forums these days use alternating shades of the same color in forum posts with a very light gray or off-white text, cause its considered easier on the eyes by most. There's exactly 2 shades difference between these post backgrounds - the darker is 35rgb the lighter is 51rgb.

In terms of the marketplace, it is brighter than it previously was, which is more professional. Wasn't it a blue background before? The texture breaks up the brilliant white, but IMO it should be a lighter shade of gray, perhaps a neutral gray like photoshop uses, with darker/black text. Too bright is tough on the eyes and can distort colors and shading in the eyes in product images.

But the biggest webstores in the world use very bright backgrounds for their online stores and shopping carts - look at amazon, walmart, bestbuy, etc - none of them use colored or textured backgrounds (not professional at all), they're all brilliant white usually with shades of blue and/or orange text and black text for descriptions. 

 

~Shane