Why do the people who start these posts insist on comparing tangible goods to non tangible goods.
Its not as if a retail customer gets to wander around the street and pick free shit to try before actually walking into Walmart to make a purchase. Ive seen no free Tv's on the street recently or golf clubs or frozen pizza's.
In porn thats exactly what happens - millions of free images float around online that at least INITIALLY ward of a real purchase.
The only way that porn is ever likely to go down in price is if the numurous places to share porn (namely groups/bittorrent sites /file sharing sites: megaupload etc /content sharing forums /password sharing sites) get closed down. It basically leaves the surfer no other option apart from to join.
In addition webmasters could look to control their content copyright more seriously.That is, digitally protect everything so that the member only see's the material WHILE being a member and not actually download it to hardrive etc.
That way they are forced to either pay to be a member and see your merchandise......or not.
As an example - a person goes bowling....they hire shoes.....they DONT get to take them home after......unless they're a thief of course
Porn should be the same - limit availability and a surfer will HAVE to pay.
Thats the only way id see memberships meaningfully increase so that prices could come down. Lets face it though, even if memberships go up in numbers - why should the price come down too much - most of the good pornsites are crazyily good value for $25 a month and should be $40.