What of the idea of lower prices and thus increasing memberships? Less profit per customer, but double or triple the number of customers?

You would need to lower the PPS for your webmasters so you aren't getting beat upside the head, but if they get several times as many conversions, it would work out better for them in the long term.

Our mobile sites have a 20 buck membership, but they convert like mad. No BS, they are literally doing 50% more than their stated goal. I firmly believe that they convert so well in part due to their lower membership fee.