I have been looking for root beer locally at grocery stores, but they have a very small selection, even the more organic grocery stores don't stock many varieties of root beer.

Am I searching for the wrong types of places locally to find the unusual brands or rootbeer? Or will I have to get them online? I don't mind going online, but it is nice to not have to pay for shipping.

When you order rootbeer online does it ever shaken up in the mail and explode a bit? I love rootbeer but have not ordered it online yet, I am going to soon though because I want to try some new flavors.

I assume you've checked the link about shopping here at Root Beer World for online retailers. There are a few stores around the country that sell many brands of root beer/soda: BevMo in California; Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati; Old Town Root Beer around San Diego; Pops 66 in Arcadia, OK; Trader Joe's, Cost Plus World Market.
Those are the ones that stand out to me right now. I'm sure there are numerous other places.

I have had so many brands sent to me over the last 8 years and, yes, shipping is not cheap. However, they are packaged very well and I have had a total of two bottles arrive broken. No worries about being shaken up or freezing or any other problems.

There's a Trader Joes and Cost Plus here. Thanks, I'll check one out today, I am sure they will have something.

Ordering online may be expensive but I noticed on the sites that the root beer is much less expensive online, so when ordering 6 bottles or more, it may just about break even compared to a store. I will order online eventually, I think it is inevitable because there are so many types of root beer out there not sold in stores, but for now I will see what they have in town.

I live in Albuquerque so I can also go to a place called Route 66 Diner, they make their own root beer. I am not sure if they sell individual bottles though, I'll go check it out sometime.

You make a good point about shipping. If you order one, it may cost $6+ to ship it, but as you buy more, the shipping prices do not go up at the same rate. I would recommend going to a website with much selection and where you can order a single bottle and not 12 or 24 of one brand, like Pop The Soda Shop and order everything you would like at the same time. So for you, since Pop The Soda Shop is based in Arizona, 20 bottles would cost you about $18 for shipping.
An aside- Pop The Soda Shop is often out of numerous brands at any given time so it is hard to order everything you want.

And remember to do searches for local brands made a bottling plants or breweries.

There are four major grocery stores, and two organic grocery stores within a few miles of my house.

Four of them have a bad selection, but Fry's has all of their bad selections combined plus a couple good ones. In bottles they have IBC and Weinhard's of course, but also Stewarts, Sioux City, Natural Brew and Virgils (oh, and Jones - don't forget to not buy the Jones). Some are in the soda isle, some are in the organic section.

Anyway, Fry's is a Kroger company so in NM you might try sister store: Smiths and get lucky.