TransLink's sold out DC superhero Compass Cards are being resold online for 8x more

Well, that didn’t take long. On Friday, people lined up downtown to get their hands on TransLink’s DC superhero Compass Cards. And the special-edition cards have popped up online and are being resold for up to eight times the original price.

A massive line formed on Friday afternoon at Stadium-Chinatown Station as people waited for the Compass Cards, which were scheduled to go on sale at 3 pm. The line stretched onto the plaza outside the station for the cards, which were being dispensed inside an office.

Beth Rochester/Daily Hive

The cards, which feature Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash, are being sold for $39.99 for a bundle. Each bundle includes one Compass Card, a poster, and a lanyard. They were only sold at Stadium-Chinatown station on June 16 from 3 pm until 9 pm or until supplies ran out. There was a purchasing limit of four bundles per person.

In a tweet, TransLink stated that the cards are now sold out.

Thank you for the wonderful turnout folks! Our DC Compass Card bundles are now sold out. If you would like to see more limited-time event items or have suggestions as to how we can make improvements in the future, please take a moment to let us know at https://t.co/rBgSuneg0p^at

— TransLink BC (@TransLink) June 17, 2023

Within hours, resale listings cropped up on Facebook, with bundles being resold for eight times the original price.

The lowest price we could find online for each bundle was $150.

Facebook Marketplace

Other sellers were looking to make a bigger profit, selling each bundle for as much as $350.

Facebook Marketplace

Online, people expressed their frustration and disappointment.

Bummer that a large portion of these are going to wind up on the likes of Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist almost immediately. My public-transit nerd friends and I would have loved to get our hands on one of the train cards, but no joy. 🥲 pic.twitter.com/shFdFLShFM

— Claire W (@relief_map) June 16, 2023

it would be really nice if we didn’t always have to come downtown to get some of these things, don’t understand why in 2023 you can’t make a small portion of these available online… compass bracelets, mini compass cards, etc.

— Anthony Fortunaso (@Fortunax22) June 16, 2023

Make it so actual fans can get cards next time instead of people trying to flip them for $350 on Facebook Marketplace…

— morbital 🇺🇦 (@morbital) June 17, 2023

In the past, TransLink has released fun Compass Card alternatives like the Compass miniature trains, wristbands, and mini Compass Cards. Each time they do, transit users line up for hours for a chance to snag one.

And you can usually find them for resale online after their release as demand is so high.

With files from Megan Devlin