Unable to create a variable in javascript -

i creating app tell price of product when barcode scanned. basically, when barcode scanned, goes text field, , based on barcode is, textarea have price put via javascript. i've gotten work, can't seem create variable save me looking through tons of code later on.

here javascript:

function showprice() {     var userinput = document.getelementbyid('barcode').value;     var price = document.getelementbyid('textarea').innerhtml;     if (userinput === "783466209834") {         price = "16.99";     } else {         price = "not valid barcode";     } } 

and here html:

<input type="text" name="text" class="textinput" id="barcode"> <input type="button" onclick="showprice()" value="submit"> <textarea name="" cols="" rows="" readonly="readonly" id="textarea"></textarea> 

right now, code isn't working, if remove

var price = document.getelementbyid('textarea').innerhtml;   

and replace "price" in if statement respectively, works. i'm not sure why can't create price variable.

because you're storing value of innerhtml variable, not storing reference it.

change var textarea = document.getelementbyid('textarea'); , textarea.innerhtml = "16.99" , on.