Since the takeover by Conrad service prices have increased. There are also delays when the goods come from the European warehouse. Prices were much cheaper than RS a few years ago for semiconductors, but now they are comparable. Some of the own brands are very good value. Solder and wire prices were ratcheted up when commodity prices increased, but have not come down. This is typical European business practice and I now buy these items from Mouser in the US. I still recommend Rapid in my Audio Out column in EPE magazine and to my university students. As a component distributor Farnell is finished. Their website always returns "no results" even for items I know they stock.