Online versus Local Shopping Calculator Tool

Now that the holiday shopping season is in full swing it is time to make the world a better place by spending all sorts of money (hey, that's what the marketings pros and politicians want us to think!) This years there are definitely a lot of deals to be found both at online retailers and at local bricks and mortar stores in your area. The question is, where to buy? I thought I would come up with a simple online calculator to help you decide the full costs of purchasing an item, since with an online purchase you often must pay for shipping and then you have to wait for your shipment to see what shows up (hopefully what you ordered and in good condition. With a local retailer you can actually select the actual item you get to take home and sometimes even try it out first. But then you must get to the store, deal with the crowds, pay sales tax, gas for your car (or haul your purchases on public transportation.) The hassle and time issues are hard to monetize, but the transportation costs, taxes, shipping and other real costs are easier to calculate. So I came up with my little calculator to help people decide whether to purchase online or locally. The other benefit or purchasing locally is to keep the profits in your area and to keep local retailers afloat. For example, I know I like to purchase items at our local Micro Center to keep it going. I am already planning on working there when I retire from my university job, and I want it to still be operational 20 years from now when I leave this place! Another local establishment I love is La Pizza on Delmar because they make such fantastic pies and they must stay in business forever!

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