Selling the Sleaze

I think the problem is that I don't do enough merchandising.  OK, I don't actually do any merchandising.  But, apparently, merchandising is thing these days for people running websites, You Tube channels and the like.  It doesn't matter what content you put up, the thing, it seems, is to have a line of merchandise to flog to your followers.  Indeed, it seems now to be an essential ingredient to actually getting followers, that you have a line of over-priced cheap tat to sell them on the side.  Not that there is anything really new about online merchandising.  I remember that, back in the day, there were sites like Cafepress, which allowed you to sell punters over priced mugs and T-shirts with your logo on them, (I just checked and they are still going).  I seem to recall that a lot of sites back then, (the early 2000s), just about every site I stumbled across, large or small, amateur or professional, were hopefully offering visitors such stuff.  I have no idea how much, if any, they ever sold.  Personally, I could never be arsed to set anything along those lines up for The Sleaze.  Quite apart from the fact that I was just too lazy, I honestly couldn't see why anybody would want to buy a mug or T-shirt with 'The Sleaze' emblazoned on it.

Which leads to the question, what sort of merchandising would be appropriate for The Sleaze?  How about a colouring book to bring in the younger demographic?  It could contain outline drawings based on some of the site's best stories, like 'I Was a Sex Pest From Outer Space', or 'I Shagged Hitler's Brains Out', for the kiddies to colour in.  So, if they want to give Hitler green hair as he is shagged senseless by an American GI, then all to the good - it is all about encouraging the artistic expression of the younger generation.  While making a few quid on the side, obviously.  Then there's always the old stand -by of the calendar, with me striking a different pose for each month, (all fully clothed, of course).  Or maybe an illustration based on a suitably themed story.  The ultimate step in this purely passive money making strategy would, judging by what all those professional You Tubers get up to, would be to set up a Patreon account and indulge in the high tech version of begging.  Well, not entirely begging, as in exchange for the monetary support you have to offer exclusives available only to your paying customers: exclusive content, autographed photos, exclusive access, (ie, a guarantee that their email won't automatically be classified by spam and will instead get a 'personal' automated response).  I know, I know, I'm being far too cynical, but all this merchandising and paid access stuff seems to me to go against what the web was all about when I first started creating content: exchanging off beat ideas and giving access to all.  Then again, I am a dinosaur, I know.