# Why are so many things "not available" in Alaska and Hawaii? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 19, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917 "2003-12-19T05:20:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![habs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@habs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/habs)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/1 "2003-12-19T05:20:43Z")
I’ve noticed that in lots of cases where there are, for example, sweepstakes, contests, rebates, sales, etc., that, when one scans the fine print, a lot of the time these promotions don’t apply in Alaska and Hawaii. McDonald’s is running a special where you can get a hamburger for 50 cents? Sorry, not applicable in AK and HA. Get $500 cash back when you buy the latest car? Sorry, offer is void in AK and HA. I mean, it seems that a lot of stuff is being denied to the citizens of Alaska and Hawaii! What was the point of granting statehood to these former territories if their populace was going to be denied some of the luxuries that their fellow countrymen in the Continental 48 States take for granted? Are people in Alaska and Hawaii upset over these exclusions? Has there ever been any legal action undertaken because of this? Exactly why _are_ all these promotional considerations not valid in those two outlying states? Is it because of the distance/remoteness of those states? What gives? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/2 "2003-12-19T05:26:14Z")
WAG … Perhaps the citizens of those two states, through their respective Legislatures, choose not to participate in these games of chance. If this be the case, the decisions are the choices of the people themselves. They are not being denied anything; they choose not to play. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/3 "2003-12-19T05:36:52Z")
1. HA != Hawaii. It’s HI. 2. **Duckster** : If that were true, I’d think Utah, for example, would be mentioned a lot more than AK and HI. 3. I’ve seen this disclaimer most often on sales. That’s because (at least in Hawaii; I wouldn’t be surprised if it were true in Alaska as well) so many necessities are more expensive due to shipping costs that having such a sale would dig too much into the franchisee’s bottom line, so the corporation, as a favor, reserves the right not to run that promotion there. I’ve seen it a LOT less often with non-sale concerns, like sweepstakes and contests; could you clarify that, OP? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/4 "2003-12-19T05:44:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Leaper \* > 2) **Duckster** : If that were true, I’d think Utah, for example, would be mentioned a lot more than AK and HI. Why? ---
**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/5 "2003-12-19T05:50:16Z")
**habs** you’ve figured it out in this part: > [@](#): > > Is it because of the distance/remoteness of those states? Distributing commercial goods throughout the “Lower 48” is fairly uniform. Get product to the Large Distribution Point and then Distribute to the outlying areas. The problem with AK and HI is that they are both Large Distribution Points and also Outlying Areas. (Not real terms, but used for description). It costs a company more to get a Big Mac to Waikiki than it does to Salina, KS. A private company can charge whatever the market will bear for it’s goods, and in the same vein can choose to NOT discount it’s products in a certain area. Go buy a Coke at the McDonald’s on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and you’ll really see how much distribution costs figure into how much you pay for something. Compare this to something like the Post Office, which distributes costs evenly to everyone. It costs the same to send a letter down the street as it does to send one from Bangor, ME to Anchorage, AK. ---
**Author:** ![radar\_ralf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@radar\_ralf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/radar_ralf)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/6 "2003-12-19T05:59:53Z")
**Why are so many things “not available” in Alaska and Hawaii?** Huh? ---
**Author:** ![habs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@habs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/habs)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/7 "2003-12-19T06:02:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Leaper \* > **1) HA != Hawaii. It’s HI.** How embarrassing… :o :smack: > [@](#): > > I’ve seen it a LOT less often with non-sale concerns, like sweepstakes and contests; could you clarify that, OP? There are just a few I came up with during a cursory Google search: [Comedy Sweepstakes at Days Inn](http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/fall_promo_details) [Cingular Celebrity Poker Showdown Sweepstakes](http://www.bravotv.com/Celebrity_Poker_Showdown/Sweepstakes/Rules.shtml) [MTV New Music Sweepstakes](http://www.mtv.com/asm/spankin_new/rules.jhtml) There’s probably a lot more… ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/8 "2003-12-19T06:02:17Z")
Well, they can’t easily ship stuff by rail or truck to AK or HI, so that might be part of it. And yes, people in Hawa’ii get a little pissed at the high cost of all imported goods, but there is always a price to be paid to live in paradise. I don’t know what the justification is in Alaska! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![radar\_ralf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@radar\_ralf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/radar_ralf)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/9 "2003-12-19T06:10:22Z")
Until recently, there were no Days Inn hotels in Alaska; maybe they just need to update the website. I think there is no Cingular service in Alaska. MTV? What’s MTV? Multi-terrain vehicle? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/10 "2003-12-19T07:02:42Z")
**Duckster** : What I meant was that if these things were determined solely, or even in a major way, by a constituency’s outlook on the morality of gaming, there’d be a lot of conservative states that’d be excluded. Does that make sense? **habs** : I just thought of a possible reason for Alaska and Hawaii being excluded from contests (as opposed to sales and such): if the prizes involves a trip, it would be a lot more expensive for the company to provide airfare for people from the 49th and 50th states, so they exclude them. Unfair, yes, but at least in Hawaii’s case, they’re in a state where a lot of good prize vacations go TO. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![netscape\_6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8c91f0/32.png) [@netscape\_6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/netscape_6)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/11 "2003-12-19T07:32:59Z")
this reminds me of a good money making scheme. 1. make everyone in alaska move to hawaii, and make everyone in hawaii move to alaska. 2. ? 3. make money ---
**Author:** ![radar\_ralf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@radar\_ralf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/radar_ralf)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/12 "2003-12-19T08:39:17Z")
Rebates? We don’t need no steenkin’ rebates! **netscape 6** , ya lost me there, sport. ---
**Author:** ![netscape\_6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8c91f0/32.png) [@netscape\_6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/netscape_6)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/13 "2003-12-19T08:45:51Z")
it was a south park referance joke. There was episode with theiving underwear gnomes. The gnomes plan was: 1. steal underwear 2. ? 3. Make money! the gnomes had not figured out step 2. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/14 "2003-12-19T10:54:34Z")
Nitpick: I believe step 3 was “Profit!” ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/15 "2003-12-19T11:17:44Z")
Citizens in various other states have been excluded from contests and products too. “Sorry Tennessee.” Although I imagine that those are mostly for legal reasons. All in all it’s just easier to exclude Hawaii and Alaska since people understand that certain promotions will lose money to these states and accept it. ---
**Author:** ![radar\_ralf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@radar\_ralf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/radar_ralf)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/16 "2003-12-19T12:15:07Z")
**netscape 6** - aha ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/17 "2003-12-19T12:21:30Z")
We get the same thing in the UK: “Offer not available in Northern Ireland.” I always put it down to distribution, although in NI’s case I imagine that the companies operate nearer to the margins anyway because of insurance. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/18 "2003-12-19T13:09:27Z")
Speaking of distribution in Alaska, why are gasoline prices so high there? Alaska has oil wells and refineries, yet from what I hear, gas is more expensive in Fairbanks than in Spokane. ---
**Author:** ![ghostman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ghostman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ghostman)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/19 "2003-12-19T13:12:47Z")
I hate being nitpicky Step 1 - Collect Underpants Step 2 - Step 3 - Big Profit ---
**Author:** ![Glassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Glassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glassy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917/20 "2003-12-19T16:08:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr2001 \* > \*\*Speaking of distribution in Alaska, why are gasoline prices so high there? Alaska has oil wells and refineries, yet from what I hear, gas is more expensive in Fairbanks than in Spokane. \*\* You’re right that Alaska’s fuel comes from Alaska’s wells and Alaska’s refineries; they don’t transport gasoline from lower-48 refineries up to Alaska. (They ship tons of raw crude from Alaska to the lower 48, but shipping companies would much rather fill a barge or a tanker with something non-volatile, like raw crude, than with something volatile like gasoline or deisel.) So that’s not the source of the higher costs. I believe it’s simply that the cost of doing business in Alaska is higher. Food and supplies have to be transported to Alaska from the lower 48. I know that items like toilet paper and toothpaste get shipped up via tug-and-barge; no doubt whatever you need to run an oil refinery (besides the oil) has to get shipped, as well. All this gets transferred to the bottom line. (I don’t have a cite for any of this; my source is a towboat officer whom I consider reliable.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-things-not-available-in-alaska-and-hawaii/219917.md?page=2)