STAR*TECH Journal
Showcase Inc.Response
To Crane Article
By Ronald H. Yaffe, O. D.
Showcase Inc.
Sarasota, FL
I read with interest the article in the
June 1986 issue of STAR-kTOCH JOURNAL by
Frank Seninsky on Cranes & Rotary
Merchandisers.
Mr. Seninsky makes several statements as
to who makes the best crane with no basis
for his statements. He has conducted no
studies, no surveys, and no conparative
testing of equipnent. He just makes a
blanket biased unfactual statement.
He didn't even preface his statements that
they were solely his opinions. It is
sinply his ignorance of the crane market
that allows him to justify his poor choice
in his crane decision statements. Mr.
Seninsky does not own or operate any of
the newer Showcase cranes.
Mr. Seninsky did approach Showcase on at
least two different cx::casjons CAMOA~ 1985
and Albany, N.Y. trade show, 1986) and
offered to operate Showcase cranes if
Showcase would ship him the ganes FREE OF
OiARGE! It is quite obvious another
conpany obliged his offer. so, Mr.
Seninsky, biased and without fact, writes
an article about which crane is best.
Hardly a scientific approach. Is this fair
to the other crane manufacturers and
i.np:>rters?
Showcase, Inc. was the first plush crane
redenption manufacturer in the United
States. Showcase saw the need for a rrore
dependable, rrore innovative crane with
parts that would be readily available in
the U.S. Showcase also saw the need for a
single-player crane gane, and was the
first manufacturer of a single unit.
Showcase then applied for a patent and
developed an innovative rotating turntable
to make the gane rrore eye-apealing and to
make the gane rrore skill-oriented. There
are no dead spots in the Showcase Crane.
Every toy can be reached and picked up by
the claw. There is also nore hand-to-eye
coordination as the Showcase Crane was
developed by a licensed Optometrist with a
background in developnental skills.
August 1986 (2)
To further enhance the skill factor, the
Crane can be stopped and started again and
again, and the player controls when the
crane drops. Showcase went one step
further in the development of a total
concept. We realized that nost ganes have
a limited life expectancy (cranes will
last longer, but not forever). Showcase
then developed a concept to change the
marquees for every holiday with very
colorfully designed marquees. This is
supplemented with matching plush toys for
every holiday (bats, vanpires, punpkins
for Halloween, etc.).
When other cranes have lost their appeal,
Showcase Crane will still be going strong.
(The Betson Crane, U.A.I., Challenger,
Golden, etc. , etc. , have none of these
features). Showcase also offers an option
of winner's alert. When someone wins a
prize, lights go off and bells ring. This
is on a timer for noise control.
IEPJ.Rll\BILlTY
Mr. Seninsky states that he operates
cran~sas far as 1500 miles away with no
service problems. Come on, let's be
realistic!
Everything mechanical can and will break
down. G-d forbid you should lose one of
your Belgium-made rrotors on a gane 1500
miles away! (Do you inventory a spare gane
just for spare parts?)
One of my customers told me a horror story
of how it took him 6 weeks to get a rrotor
he had ordered for his Belgium crane and
at a cost of $150! I wonder what the down
time cost him in lost revenue?
Had he had a Showcase Crane the sane rrotor
would have been $30. Showcase uses only w.
w. Grainger rrotors, relays and switches.
There is no p-c board to worry about
either. All of this carries a 1 year
guarantee by w. w. Grainger.
The bottom line is: There is a high
grossing, dependable crane gane
manufactured in the good ole U.S.A.
Get with it Frank! 1 !
000