A recent report claims that the number of people participating in online fitness classes has increased by 40% over the past year. The report suggests that this growth is largely due to the expansion of free trials offered by various fitness platforms. However, it also notes that the overall market for fitness services is becoming increasingly competitive, with many more options available to consumers.

The author of the report concludes that offering free trials is a highly effective strategy for fitness platforms to attract new customers. Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the author's argument?