Jaycar

Jaycar is an Australia-based retailer dealing in electronic components and related products for electronics enthusiasts. It was founded in 1981 when Gary Johnston, a former Dick Smith Electronics employee, purchased a John Carr & Co. Pty Ltd.[3]

Jaycar Electronics
TypePrivate
IndustryRetail
Founded1981 (1981)[1]
FounderGary Johnston
Headquarters
Rydalmere, NSW
,
Australia
Number of locations
100+ stores (2018)[2]
Area served
Australia
New Zealand
United Kingdom
United States
Canada
Key people
Gary Johnston (MD)
Michael Newsom (CEO)
ProductsElectronics, gadgets
Number of employees
about 1,000 (2016)
SubsidiariesElectus Distribution
Websitewww.jaycar.com.au

Jaycar has over 100 stores[2] and more than 200 authorised stockists and agents[4] throughout Australia and New Zealand that carry products from Jaycar's Electus Distribution wholesale division.

Controversies

In 2005, Jaycar received negative attention from its imported Taiwanese "Choke-A-Chicken" toy that squawked and flapped its wings when strangled around its neck.[5][6] The RSPCA Queensland described the toy as "grossly irresponsible".[7]

In October 2012, Gary Johnston, Managing Director of Jaycar was interviewed on Sydney radio station 2GB in seeking to explain the behaviour of unidentified Canterbury-Bankstown NRL club staff who had allegedly made degrading and threatening remarks to Channel Nine reporter, Jayne Azzopardi, though firm evidence of who the comments were directed at remains unclear.[8][9] Johnston was quoted as saying "If a woman walks into some bars in Sydney, she will be ogled. She will be treated as an object and that's the way it is. She doesn't have to walk into those bars.[8] This led to calls to boycott Jaycar stores.[10] It was felt that Johnston's comments were seen as providing support and justification for sexist behaviour, and were considered a 'non-apology' by some media outlets.[11] Boxer and model Lauryn Eagle came to Johnston's defence, stating, "You walk into a bar, men look at you, they stare at you, that’s just the way it is and that’s the truth. What they didn’t record was he did apologise…the comments were definitely not appropriate, but the reality is, looking and ogling, definitely (happens)."[12]

In October 2016, Jaycar was accused of copying the Arduino Experimenters kit, designed and sold by local Australian electronics company Freetronics.[13][14]

See also

References
  1. "Jaycar Talks History and 30th Birthday". Current.com.au. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  2. "About Jaycar". Jaycar Electronics. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  3. "Jaycar Is 30 Years Old". siliconchip.com.au. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  4. "Store Locator". Jaycar Electronics. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  5. Haines, Lester (20 October 2005). "Animal lovers slam Choke-A-Chicken toy". The Register. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  6. "Choke-a-chicken". Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  7. Australian Associated Press (19 October 2005). "RSPCA outraged over "choke the chicken" toy". The Age. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  8. "Expect the same in pubs, says Dogs sponsor". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  9. Barret, Chris (9 October 2012). "Mad Monday comments 'not directed at reporter'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  10. Richards, David (3 October 2012). "Women urged to ban Jaycar stores". Channel News. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  11. Crabb, Annabel (7 October 2012). "The non-apology: a spotter's guide". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 26 July 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  12. Crawley, Paul (4 October 2012). "Boxer Lauryn Eagle agrees with sponsor's defence of Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs' Mad Monday abuse". news.com.au. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  13. Oxer, Jonathan (17 October 2016). "Vlog #44: Experimenters Kit for Arduino ripped off by Duinotech / Jaycar". YouTube.
  14. Oxer, Jonathan (17 October 2016). "Vlog #45: That's not how Open Source works". YouTube.
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