Manufacturers of staplers make the majority of their profit on staples rather than on the staplers themselves. The Office Supply Company, which cannot sell its staples as cheaply as other manufacturers can, plans to alter the design of its stapler so that it will only accept a newly designed Office Supply Company staple, which will be sold at the same price as the Office Supply Company's current staple.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the Office Supply Company's projection that its plan will lead to an increase in its sales of staples?