Jaycar

{{Infobox company

| name = Jaycar

| logo = Jaycar Logo, 2019.svg

| logo_size = 241px

| type = Private

| foundation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1981}}{{cite web | url=http://www.current.com.au/2011/06/29/article/From-the-ground-up---Jaycar-talks-history-and-30th-birthdays/DETNZILCSD.html | title=Jaycar Talks History and 30th Birthday | date=29 July 2011 | publisher=Current.com.au | accessdate=17 August 2011}}

| founder = Gary Johnston

| location_city = Rhodes, NSW

| locations = 130+ stores (2025){{cite web | title=Jaycar Electronics New Zealand | website=About Jaycar | url=https://www.jaycar.co.nz/aboutjaycar | access-date=28 June 2025}}

| area_served = Australia
New Zealand

| key_people = Chris Wilesmith (CEO)(Former)

| num_employees = {{circa}}1,000 (2021)

| industry = Retail

| products = Electronics, gadgets

| subsid = Electus Distribution

| homepage = {{Official URL}}

}}

Jaycar Electronics is an Australian international retailer dealing in electronic components, technical support, and other products and services for electronics enthusiasts. The company owns over 130 stores across Australia and New Zealand, and also sells its products online in the UK and US. It was founded in 1981 by Gary Johnston, who remained managing director until his death in 2021.

The company also has a wholesaling branch, Electus Distribution, which does operations in Australia and New Zealand.

History

Jaycar was founded when Gary Johnston, a former Dick Smith Electronics employee, purchased John Carr & Co. Pty Ltd. He became managing director of the company.{{cite web | url=http://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_112449/article.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714122035/http://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_112449/article.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=14 July 2011 | title=Jaycar Is 30 Years Old | publisher=siliconchip.com.au | accessdate=17 August 2011 }}

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,{{cite web | last = Haines | first = Lester | title = Animal lovers slam Choke-A-Chicken toy | website = The Register | date = 2005-10-20 | url = https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/20/choke_a_chicken/ | accessdate = 2008-09-25 }}{{cite web | title = Choke-a-chicken | url=http://www.jaycar.com.au/p/GT3095 | accessdate = 2015-03-26 }} described by the RSPCA Queensland as "grossly irresponsible".{{cite news | author = Australian Associated Press | author-link = Australian Associated Press | title = RSPCA outraged over "choke the chicken" toy | newspaper = The Age | date = 2005-10-19 | url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/10/19/1129401263322.html | accessdate = 2011-08-17 }}

In October 2012, remarks made by Johnston on Sydney radio station 2GB, seen as providing justification for sexist behaviour by unidentified staff at the Canterbury-Bankstown NRL club (Bulldogs), of which Jaycar was a major sponsor at the time, caused controversy.{{cite web|title=Expect the same in pubs, says Dogs sponsor|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/expect-the-same-in-pubs-says-dogs-sponsor-20121003-26zjn.html|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=3 October 2012 |accessdate=30 November 2019}}{{cite web|last=Barret|first=Chris|title=Mad Monday comments 'not directed at reporter'|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/mad-monday-comments-not-directed-at-reporter-20121009-27azm.html|date=9 October 2012|accessdate=30 November 2019}} There were calls to boycott Jaycar stores.{{cite news|last=Richards|first=David|title=Women urged to ban Jaycar stores|publisher=Channel News|url=http://www.channelnews.com.au/News/Business_News/E7C2P2R6|access-date=8 October 2012|date=3 October 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121230111911/http://www.channelnews.com.au/News/Business_News/E7C2P2R6|archive-date=30 December 2012|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last=Crabb|first=Annabel|title=The non-apology: a spotter's guide|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/the-nonapology-a-spotters-guide-20121006-275we.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726120206/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/it-pro/the-nonapology-a-spotters-guide-20121006-275we|archive-date=2015-07-26|accessdate=30 November 2019|url-status=dead|newspaper=Brisbane Times|date=7 October 2012}}{{cite web|last=Crawley|first=Paul|title=Boxer Lauryn Eagle agrees with sponsor's defence of Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs' Mad Monday abuse|url=http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/bulldogs-major-sponsor-offers-up-bizarre-defence-of-mad-monday-abuse/story-e6frfkp9-1226488416304|website=news.com.au|date=4 October 2012|accessdate=30 November 2019}}

In October 2016, Freetronics owner Jonathan Oxer accused Jaycar of copying his business' open source Arduino Experimenters kit in two videos posted to his YouTube channel.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW8K9D9u5aI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/SW8K9D9u5aI| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Vlog #44: Experimenters Kit for Arduino ripped off by Duinotech / Jaycar |last=Oxer |first=Jonathan | author-link = Jonathan Oxer |date=17 October 2016 |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWIROMu5l6w |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/IWIROMu5l6w| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Vlog #45: That's not how Open Source works |last=Oxer |first=Jonathan |date=17 October 2016 |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

In September 2018 Johnston ended Jaycar's sponsorship of the Bulldogs, following questionable behaviour from players during Mad Monday celebrations.{{cite web |url=https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2018/09/07/871631/ |title=Jaycar drops Bulldogs sponsorship after Mad Monday disgrace |first=Scott |last=Bailey |date=9 September 2018 |website=The New Daily |quote=Jaycar axes its Bulldogs sponsorship}}

Johnston died on 10 March 2021, after being diagnosed with mesothelioma two weeks earlier.{{Cite web|last=Newson|first=Michael|title=Media Release|url=https://www.jaycar.com.au/medias/sys_master/root/9501870522398/Media-Announcement-Mar21.pdf}}

Description

{{as of|2011}}, Jaycar has over 110 stores across Australian and New Zealand, and more than 170 authorised stockists and agents that carry Jaycar products. The group also owns a number of Road Tech Marine stores.

Electus Distribution is Jaycar's wholesale arm. It operates as a separate company and provides products to independent and other retailers, as well as original equipment manufacturers, in Australia and New Zealand.{{cite web | title=About Techbranda | website=Electus Distribution | url=https://www.electusdistribution.com.au/page/aboutus.aspx | access-date=11 March 2021}}

Community involvement

Jaycar became a major sponsor of NRL club Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 2009,{{cite web |url=https://forums.leagueunlimited.com/threads/jaycar-bulldogs-new-front-of-jersey-sponsor.326181/ |title="Jaycar" Bulldogs - new front of Jersey Sponsor |author=Timmah |date=11 June 2009 |website=League Unlimited}} but questionable behaviour from players led Johnston to end the partnership in September 2018. Jaycar sponsors Warby Motorsport and a number of local sports teams.{{cn|date=March 2021}} Jaycar has sponsored the Western Suburbs Magpies rugby league team, based in western Sydney, since 2019. Johnston had been a "lifelong supporter".

The company has supported or hosted maker culture events,{{cite web |url=https://maas.museum/event/the-sydney-mini-maker-faire-2015/ |title=Sydney Mini Maker Faire 2015 |website=Sydney Mini Maker Faire 2015 |date=18 October 2023 |quote=Partners}}{{cite web |url=https://neuron.jaycar.com/events |title=Events |website=NEURON |quote=Townsville Workshop September 2017 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and supports several charities, including:

Starlight Children's Foundation{{cite web |url=https://starlight.org.au/our-organisation/our-partners/national |title=Meet Our National Partners |date=2019 |website=Starlight Children's Foundation |quote=Jaycar Electronics|access-date=12 March 2021}}
Charlie Teo Foundation{{cite web | last=McPhee | first=Sarah | title=Jaycar founder Gary Johnston dies aged 71 | website=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=11 March 2021 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/jaycar-founder-gary-johnston-dies-after-a-short-illness-20210311-p579x3.html | access-date=12 March 2021}}
Operation Restore Hope{{cite AV media |people=Dr Darryl Hodgkinson |date=6 June 2017 |title=Thank you Jaycar Electronics - Operation Restore Hope |medium=Video |language=English |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqVFmU_vf8k |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/OqVFmU_vf8k| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|quote=Thank you to Jaycar Electronics for their on going support over all the years.|access-date=12 March 2021}}{{cbignore}}
FSHD Global Research Foundation{{cite web |url=https://fshdglobal.org/sponsors/ |title=Sponsors|date=2020 |website=FSHD|access-date=12 March 2021 }}
Steve Waugh Foundation
Exodus Foundation{{cite web |url=https://www.exodusfoundation.org.au/2017/05/18/new-food-van-means%E2%80%8B-%E2%80%8Beven-more-meals |title=New food van means even more meals |author=Team Exodus |date=2019 |website=The Exodus Foundation |quote=The new food van was generously funded by Gary Johnson, founder of Jaycar Electronics.|access-date=12 March 2021}}
Save our Sons{{cite tweet |user=SaveOurSons |number=974165654633725952 |date=14 Mar 2018 |title=We want to send a BIG thank you to Gary Johnston from @JaycarAU|access-date=12 March 2021}}