What to Do Right Now That TheHungryJPEG Is Shutting Down (Dec 1, 2025): A Creator’s Tactical Playbook to Rescue Revenue, Licenses, & Customers — and Move Your Business Where It Makes More Money

Quick facts you must know right away:

• TheHungryJPEG posted an official notice saying the site will close on December 1, 2025. ^[1]
• The site publishes a “Complete License” (commercial license) that governs buyer rights — you should download/store these license docs now. ^[2]
• If you’re a seller, don’t assume account data, sales history, or payouts will remain accessible — export everything. Community threads show creators are already scrambling. ^[3]

Why this is urgent (money & legal reasons)

Immediate 90‑minute survival checklist (do this now)

• Download purchases + license PDFs — buyers: download all purchased .zip/.otf/.ai files and the “Complete License” page for each item (screenshot or save as PDF). Keep proof of purchase email/receipt. ^[6]
• Export seller data — sellers: export product files, product descriptions, thumbnails, sales CSVs, tax documents, payout history, and any customer emails. Do not rely on the platform to export everything automatically — copy/paste and download. ^[7]
• Back up to 3 places — local drive + cloud (Google Drive/Dropbox/OneDrive) + offline (external HDD or another cloud). Use the 3‑2‑1 rule. ^[8]
• Document licenses and limits — note POD restrictions, font embedding rules, and craft file limits for real production use. Save the license text that applied at purchase. ^[9]
• Take screenshots of your seller dashboard, balances, and any pending payout pages (date‑stamped). These help with disputes later. ^[10]

Where to move next (revenue-first options)

Short version: move customer relationships first (email list, socials), then choose one or two distribution channels for your products based on your business model: marketplace discovery, direct-to-customer (DTC) ownership, or a hybrid. Below are platform choices with practical fees and what they mean for revenue.

How to pick quickly

• If you already have an email list or social audience: prioritize Gumroad + Shopify storefront (DTC + low friction). Gumroad to capture immediate sales; Shopify for brand ownership. ^[15]
• If you depend on discovery and impulse volume: relist on Creative Market/Design Cuts/Creative Fabrica or Etsy—but accept higher competition and platform fees. ^[16]
• Best practice: run a hybrid — put “evergreen” goods on DTC (Shopify/Gumroad) and curated bundles or entry products on marketplaces for reach.

Step‑by‑step migration playbook for sellers (7–14 days plan)

Day 0–1: Rescue & document (emergency)

• Export everything: product files, thumbnails, variants, descriptions, prices, tags, categories, sales CSVs, payout statements, tax docs, affiliate commission history.
• Download your storefront pages as PDFs and screenshots (with date/time) so you have a record if the site goes offline. ^[17]
• Save license text and the site’s “Complete License” and Terms pages — buyers will ask for license proof. ^[18]

Day 2–4: Rebuild ownership & communication

• Set up a simple Gumroad page (fast) and a Shopify Starter or Basic storefront (longer term). Use a prebuilt theme optimized for digital downloads. ^[19]
• Export and import customer emails (if you have them) — send a short “Important update: where to buy my products now” email with immediate links and any discount codes. Prioritize buyers who purchased extended/commercial licenses.
• Create a public FAQ explaining license continuity and how customers can prove purchases (attach receipts/license screenshots).

Day 5–10: Reprice, relist, and repackage to maximize revenue

• Bundle popular items into higher‑priced packs: bundles increase AOV (average order value) and reduce per‑sale fees. Example: bundle 5 small assets into a $25 pack instead of selling five $5 items. (Math: one $25 sale on Gumroad at 10% + $0.50 = $2.50 + $0.50 = $3.00 fee = 12% effective fee vs. five $5 sales with 5×($0.50 + 10% × $5) = $6.25 fees = 25% effective.) ^[20]
• Offer a “license transfer kit” product: a $9 update pack that includes a PDF proof-of‑license and a quick usage checklist for buyers who need to secure rights for clients. This is helpful and converts low effort to quick cash.
• Start a monthly “creative assets” subscription for fans who want ongoing bundles—Gumroad & Shopify both support memberships. Recurring revenue is higher LTV. ^[21]

Week 2+: Scale and diversify

• Apply to Creative Market / Design Cuts / Creative Fabrica for discovery channels. Use marketplace listings as paid funnels to your DTC store (include “More from this artist” links). ^[22]
• Create a lead magnet (freebie) that requires an email signup, then offer a welcome bundle. Capture and own the audience — this is the most valuable asset you’ll gain from a platform pivot.
• Consider premium licensing: for commercial clients, create an upsell that includes an extended license and a custom invoice — priced at $99–$250 depending on usage. Keep these sales via direct invoice on Shopify or Gumroad to avoid marketplace restrictions.

Examples and pricing math (real numbers you can copy)

Recommendation: If you have an existing audience, prioritize bundling + Gumroad for speed, and rebuild a Shopify storefront for long‑term ownership. Use marketplaces for discovery only, and always link back to your DTC site so you own the customer.

Legal & license notes creators must not ignore

• TheHungryJPEG’s Complete License covers many use cases (commercial use with restrictions on craft/POD and embedding). Buyers should save the exact license text for future audits. ^[23]
• If you were selling on TheHungryJPEG as a contributor, check your seller agreement for post‑closure terms (payout windows, unpaid earnings). If unpaid balances exist, document and reach out to the site (and your bank) immediately. Community posts show sellers are already tracking these issues. ^[24]
• If you’re concerned about license continuity for clients, offer them a “license portability” service: a documented PDF + invoice that restates permitted uses and shows proof of purchase. This reduces buyer churn and builds trust — charge $9–49 depending on complexity.

Customer communication templates (copy/paste friendly)

Checklist for buyers (what to save)

• ZIP files of assets + font files
• License PDFs and purchase receipts (screenshot + PDF) — save with date/time
• List of products used in active client projects (client name, project, date bought)
• If you rely on the asset for a brand/logo, consider commissioning a unique asset from the original designer (paid upgrade) to avoid reuse by others per marketplace license rules. ^[25]

If you only do one thing today

Download every product and every license you or your customers own from TheHungryJPEG, and export any seller CSVs or payout statements. Then, set up one direct sales destination (Gumroad recommended for speed) and email your list. Those three actions protect revenue immediately and set you up to recover sales in days, not weeks. ^[26]

Further reading & sources (quick list)

• TheHungryJPEG homepage — official shutdown notice (Dec 1, 2025). ^[27]
• TheHungryJPEG — Complete License page (save this as proof). ^[28]
• Gumroad pricing and merchant‑of‑record update (fees: 10% + $0.50; marketplace 30%). ^[29]
• Etsy fees & payments policy (listing fee $0.20; transaction fee 6.5%; payment processing varies). ^[30]
• Shopify pricing overview (plans & card fees) — good reference for DTC cost modeling. ^[31]
• Community reaction & warnings — seller/buyer threads discussing the shutdown. ^[32]

If you want, I can:

• Help you draft the exact email to your buyers and an automated refund/payout escalation message to the platform.
• Build the Gumroad product page and a Shopify starter store with the correct license PDFs and upgrade funnels (I can provide step‑by‑step copy and pricing templates tailored to your catalog).
• Audit your top 10 products and recommend bundle/price changes to immediately increase net revenue per sale.

Which do you want me to help with first — drafting the customer email (fast) or building a Gumroad + bundle pricing plan (higher ROI)? Reply “Email” or “Gumroad” and I’ll create the exact templates and pricing sheet tailored to your catalog.