Jaycar need to pay the rent...

[David L. Jones]

I just got the new 2006 Jaycar catalog (which is very good BTW, lots of
new stuff), and it's interesting to see them (on p9) respond to the
criticism about them turning to selling "gadgets" instead of
electronics parts.
As most of us have already figured out, they admittedly "have to have
the other stuff to pay the rent", but they are increasing their
electronics parts range to compensate.

Perhaps those who have bagged them in recent times will now understand.

I personally didn't think they had anything to answer for, as I have
only seen the electronics parts range increase and get better every
year. If they have to sell gadgets to consumers to compensate then so
be it.

Thumbs up from me.

Dave

 

[The Real Andy]

On 26 Mar 2006 23:47:44 -0800, "David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com>
wrote:

I just got the new 2006 Jaycar catalog (which is very good BTW, lots of
new stuff), and it's interesting to see them (on p9) respond to the
criticism about them turning to selling "gadgets" instead of
electronics parts.
As most of us have already figured out, they admittedly "have to have
the other stuff to pay the rent", but they are increasing their
electronics parts range to compensate.

I thought this was quite obvious. I think they cater well for the
basic hobby market, and this is in an industry that is ever increasing
in difficulty and complexity. A tricky market.

Only problem is that now electronics is a hobby for me, and 90% of my
parts get purchased online because I cant buy what i want from Jaycar.
However, i am realistic and cannot expect Jaycar to suppy everything I
want.

In saying that, i do try to base a lot of my projects around what
Jaycar can supply, because I know that I can drive 10minutes up the
road and buy Jaycar parts.

Perhaps those who have bagged them in recent times will now understand.

I personally didn't think they had anything to answer for, as I have
only seen the electronics parts range increase and get better every
year. If they have to sell gadgets to consumers to compensate then so
be it.

Well i dont see DSE selling even close to the range Jaycar offers.
They are the only place left for the hobbiest.

Thumbs up from me.

Same.

Dave

 

[Poxy]

David L. Jones wrote:

I just got the new 2006 Jaycar catalog (which is very good BTW, lots
of new stuff), and it's interesting to see them (on p9) respond to the
criticism about them turning to selling "gadgets" instead of
electronics parts.
As most of us have already figured out, they admittedly "have to have
the other stuff to pay the rent", but they are increasing their
electronics parts range to compensate.

Perhaps those who have bagged them in recent times will now
understand.

I personally didn't think they had anything to answer for, as I have
only seen the electronics parts range increase and get better every
year. If they have to sell gadgets to consumers to compensate then so
be it.

I had a chat to a couple of the salespeople at Jaycar the other week as some
child was busy setting off the farting/squawking junk in the
farting/squawking junk isle. They all seemed to hate the rubbish and
resented the fact that they had to stock it - I suggested that if selling
that crap is what was needed to keep the doors open, then so be it. However
they argued that they sell almost none of that crap, and most of the
turnover of the stuff tends to be display items getting broken by the
aforementioned kids.

I frankly find a lot of it deeply offensive and extremely distasteful, to
the point where I'm increasingly using alternative sources wherever possibe
in order to avoid having to visit the shop. And while my local branch might
be the exception due to the nature of the local market (ie. a statistically
lower percentage of the simple-minded mouth-breathers that find this shit
"entertaining") , it seems that Jaycar should allow local branches to have
some choice as to what they put on display.

 

[David L. Jones]

The Real Andy wrote:

On 26 Mar 2006 23:47:44 -0800, "David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com
wrote:

I just got the new 2006 Jaycar catalog (which is very good BTW, lots of
new stuff), and it's interesting to see them (on p9) respond to the
criticism about them turning to selling "gadgets" instead of
electronics parts.
As most of us have already figured out, they admittedly "have to have
the other stuff to pay the rent", but they are increasing their
electronics parts range to compensate.

I thought this was quite obvious. I think they cater well for the
basic hobby market, and this is in an industry that is ever increasing
in difficulty and complexity. A tricky market.

Only problem is that now electronics is a hobby for me, and 90% of my
parts get purchased online because I cant buy what i want from Jaycar.
However, i am realistic and cannot expect Jaycar to suppy everything I
want.

In saying that, i do try to base a lot of my projects around what
Jaycar can supply, because I know that I can drive 10minutes up the
road and buy Jaycar parts.


Perhaps those who have bagged them in recent times will now understand.

I personally didn't think they had anything to answer for, as I have
only seen the electronics parts range increase and get better every
year. If they have to sell gadgets to consumers to compensate then so
be it.

Well i dont see DSE selling even close to the range Jaycar offers.
They are the only place left for the hobbiest.

Altronics are still there, and have an excellent range, especially SMD
stuff.
The new Sydney store is excellent.

Dave

 

[GB]

"Tom Smyth" <TomS_13@a11.aone.net.au> wrote in
news:GKZVf.5397$xE.1077@news.cpqcorp.net:

if/when the chain changes hands) a bean-counter is going to come in
and work out which products contribute a profit and which don't. The
stuff that doesn't make money will be turfed and as soon as you know
it you'll have yet another DSE/Tandy.

... and then another will rise up underneath them and fill their
place. Once upon a time Tandy sold a passable range of components
too.


I have two theories on life. One is that cars 'grow' (they actually
physically get bigger over time), and the other is that electronics
stores are operating on some sort of FIFO arrangement.



GB, look, for example, at the Nissan Pulsar. The N12 was tiny, N13
small, N14 bigger, N15, N16 even bigger still. The Corolla has
followed a similar evolution. Same applies for pretty much all
others too.
--
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the
entrails of the last priest." (Diderot, paraphrasing Meslier)

 

[Ken Taylor]

"Peter Parker" <p@p> wrote in message news:44290957_3@news.chariot.net.au...

"GB" <g.b@sonicresearch.mailme.org> wrote in message
news:4428ff2f$1@news.comindico.com.au...

I have two theories on life. One is that cars 'grow' (they actually
physically get bigger over time), and the other is that electronics
stores are operating on some sort of FIFO arrangement.

I suspect FIFO, though having said that, the BC548 transistor must be at
least 25 years old by now, and many items have had shorter cycles.

On one hand an ever-expanding stock range is more labour-intensive
(especially if the number of stores is also growing)* and may lead to
reduced average profit per stock line. So at some point you ditch some
old
lines in favour of the new (eg DSE's range of transistors has shrunk, but
there's more LED varieties now). A limit also imposes a certain
discipline
to review slow selling stock and replace it with more modern stuff that is
absent if there is no limit (which just encourages mindless accretion and
postponed decisions).

On the other hand there is a critical point where slow-selling items can
induce sales of other components. For instance DSE used to sell vernier
dials, a good range of polystyrene capacitors and some RF things that
Jaycar/Altronics didn't. So people would go to the place with the more
comprehensive range, even if they didn't buy many of the 'slow-moving'
items. If this argument is correct then cutting range may be false
economy.

(*) There may be an inverse relationship between the number of stores and
product range/depth for hobbyists. Eg Tandy used to have many more stores
than DSE but a far inferior range (for us). DSE reduced its range as it
grew its store numbers. Jaycar has fewer stores but better range.
Altronics has fewer stores still (though it is rapidly growing) but I
don't
know if its range is better than Jaycar's.

Peter


Aha! So we find the company with no stores and they'll have everything!!

Ken

 

[David Sauer]

On 26 Mar 2006 23:47:44 -0800, "David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com>
wrote:

I just got the new 2006 Jaycar catalog (which is very good BTW, lots of
new stuff), and it's interesting to see them (on p9) respond to the
criticism about them turning to selling "gadgets" instead of
electronics parts.
As most of us have already figured out, they admittedly "have to have
the other stuff to pay the rent", but they are increasing their
electronics parts range to compensate.

Must be referring to this:

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=GT3095&CATID=&keywords=chicken

Choke - A - Chicken Animated Chook


*AS SEEN ON Channel 7's Sunrise*



The Choke-A-Chicken flaps and waddles around doing the Chicken Dance,
clucking and flapping its wings in sync with the Chicken Dance melody.
Grab him by the neck and he will squawk and cluck like mad, flapping
his wings and feet wildly as if he is really being choked. Put him
down and he will waddle off, singing and dancing as he goes. The
chicken stands about 300mm tall and is powered by four AA batteries,
available separately


Junk is the work for this.

Gadgets, eg laser pointers are fine.

 

[Peter Parker]

"GB" <g.b@sonicresearch.mailme.org> wrote in message
news:4428ff2f$1@news.comindico.com.au...

I have two theories on life. One is that cars 'grow' (they actually
physically get bigger over time), and the other is that electronics
stores are operating on some sort of FIFO arrangement.

I suspect FIFO, though having said that, the BC548 transistor must be at
least 25 years old by now, and many items have had shorter cycles.

On one hand an ever-expanding stock range is more labour-intensive
(especially if the number of stores is also growing)* and may lead to
reduced average profit per stock line. So at some point you ditch some old
lines in favour of the new (eg DSE's range of transistors has shrunk, but
there's more LED varieties now). A limit also imposes a certain discipline
to review slow selling stock and replace it with more modern stuff that is
absent if there is no limit (which just encourages mindless accretion and
postponed decisions).

On the other hand there is a critical point where slow-selling items can
induce sales of other components. For instance DSE used to sell vernier
dials, a good range of polystyrene capacitors and some RF things that
Jaycar/Altronics didn't. So people would go to the place with the more
comprehensive range, even if they didn't buy many of the 'slow-moving'
items. If this argument is correct then cutting range may be false
economy.

(*) There may be an inverse relationship between the number of stores and
product range/depth for hobbyists. Eg Tandy used to have many more stores
than DSE but a far inferior range (for us). DSE reduced its range as it
grew its store numbers. Jaycar has fewer stores but better range.
Altronics has fewer stores still (though it is rapidly growing) but I don't
know if its range is better than Jaycar's.

Peter

 

[dmm]

On Tue, 28 Mar 2006 20:41:02 +1000, David Sauer <davidsauer@iinet.net.au> wrote:

On 26 Mar 2006 23:47:44 -0800, "David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com
wrote:

I just got the new 2006 Jaycar catalog (which is very good BTW, lots of
new stuff), and it's interesting to see them (on p9) respond to the
criticism about them turning to selling "gadgets" instead of
electronics parts.
As most of us have already figured out, they admittedly "have to have
the other stuff to pay the rent", but they are increasing their
electronics parts range to compensate.

Must be referring to this:
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=GT3095&CATID=&keywords=chicken

Choke - A - Chicken Animated Chook


*AS SEEN ON Channel 7's Sunrise*



The Choke-A-Chicken flaps and waddles around doing the Chicken Dance,
clucking and flapping its wings in sync with the Chicken Dance melody.
Grab him by the neck and he will squawk and cluck like mad, flapping
his wings and feet wildly as if he is really being choked. Put him
down and he will waddle off, singing and dancing as he goes. The
chicken stands about 300mm tall and is powered by four AA batteries,
available separately


Junk is the work for this.

Not necessarily. It's what's inside that's interesting. But $30 for some gears and
a motor is a bit expensive.

>Gadgets, eg laser pointers are fine.

 

[David L. Jones]

David Sauer wrote:

On 26 Mar 2006 23:47:44 -0800, "David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com
wrote:

I just got the new 2006 Jaycar catalog (which is very good BTW, lots of
new stuff), and it's interesting to see them (on p9) respond to the
criticism about them turning to selling "gadgets" instead of
electronics parts.
As most of us have already figured out, they admittedly "have to have
the other stuff to pay the rent", but they are increasing their
electronics parts range to compensate.

Must be referring to this:
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=GT3095&CATID=&keywords=chicken

Choke - A - Chicken Animated Chook


*AS SEEN ON Channel 7's Sunrise*



The Choke-A-Chicken flaps and waddles around doing the Chicken Dance,
clucking and flapping its wings in sync with the Chicken Dance melody.
Grab him by the neck and he will squawk and cluck like mad, flapping
his wings and feet wildly as if he is really being choked. Put him
down and he will waddle off, singing and dancing as he goes. The
chicken stands about 300mm tall and is powered by four AA batteries,
available separately

Junk is the work for this.

No way, that's serious fun!
Haven't you ever got so up tight in your cubicle that you've slipped in
a few "novelty" items disguised as real components on a company
purchase order? ;-)

They really break the monotony and are great fun. Try the remote fart
machine on a sub-woofer, or remote control battle tanks. Those Auora
Interactor backpack things are great for all sorts of stuff too.
Hours of office fun.

Even Farnell are carrying "novelty" items now.

We often wonder who the engineers are that design this stuff, and what
sort of design meetings they must have. The Functional Performance Spec
must be a hoot to write on it's own!

Gadgets, eg laser pointers are fine.

They can be ordered as a "Focused LED" without raising an eyebrow ;-)

Dave

 

[dmm]

On 26 Mar 2006 23:47:44 -0800, "David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com> wrote:

I just got the new 2006 Jaycar catalog (which is very good BTW, lots of
new stuff), and it's interesting to see them (on p9) respond to the
criticism about them turning to selling "gadgets" instead of
electronics parts.
As most of us have already figured out, they admittedly "have to have
the other stuff to pay the rent", but they are increasing their
electronics parts range to compensate.

Perhaps those who have bagged them in recent times will now understand.

I personally didn't think they had anything to answer for, as I have
only seen the electronics parts range increase and get better every
year. If they have to sell gadgets to consumers to compensate then so
be it.

Thumbs up from me.

Dave

Has anybody bought the "Norbert" vacuum cleaner from Jaycar?
Does it work ok?

 

[Peter Parker]

"David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1143545538.241677.237420@j33g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

David Sauer wrote:
On 26 Mar 2006 23:47:44 -0800, "David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com
wrote:

I just got the new 2006 Jaycar catalog (which is very good BTW, lots of
new stuff), and it's interesting to see them (on p9) respond to the
criticism about them turning to selling "gadgets" instead of
electronics parts.
As most of us have already figured out, they admittedly "have to have
the other stuff to pay the rent", but they are increasing their
electronics parts range to compensate.

Must be referring to this:

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=GT3095&CATID=&keywords=chicken

Choke - A - Chicken Animated Chook


*AS SEEN ON Channel 7's Sunrise*



The Choke-A-Chicken flaps and waddles around doing the Chicken Dance,
clucking and flapping its wings in sync with the Chicken Dance melody.
Grab him by the neck and he will squawk and cluck like mad, flapping
his wings and feet wildly as if he is really being choked. Put him
down and he will waddle off, singing and dancing as he goes. The
chicken stands about 300mm tall and is powered by four AA batteries,
available separately

A genuine battery hen?

They really break the monotony and are great fun. Try the remote fart
machine on a sub-woofer,

Wouldn't it be easier to build an FM wireless microphone inside it so it's
heard over the colleage's radio/stereo etc?

Cheap smoke alarms are great too - where else can you get a powerful alarm +
battery for little more than the cost of the battery on its own? Just add
an LDR and transistor and you can make a light alarm to protect drawers,
fridges, etc.

Peter

 

[Peter Parker]

"dmm" <dmmilne_REMOVE_@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
news:tu7i22h5mchl05gc93hg2ept1ov69udeht@4ax.com...

Has anybody bought the "Norbert" vacuum cleaner from Jaycar?
Does it work ok?

It sucks.

 

[DAC]

I frankly find a lot of it deeply offensive and extremely distasteful, to
the point where I'm increasingly using alternative sources wherever
possibe
in order to avoid having to visit the shop. And while my local branch
might
be the exception due to the nature of the local market (ie. a
statistically
lower percentage of the simple-minded mouth-breathers that find this shit
"entertaining") , it seems that Jaycar should allow local branches to have
some choice as to what they put on display.

Its got to the point where I actually have to search around for a couple
minutes just to find the darn cap/resistor holders.

 

[Mr.T]

"Ken Taylor" <ken123@xxxxtra.co.nz> wrote in message
news:eIYXf.10301$JZ1.399354@news.xtra.co.nz...

Damn, we bought the boss' birthday present last week, missed an
opportunity!

You've hit the nail on the head as to just who buys these items. The bemused
recipient usually throws it away the following week.
More crap for the landfill for nothing more than a five second laugh. For
that reason, it always annoys me, rather than amuses me, to receive such a
gift.

MrT.