Customers line up to buy Beijing 2022 officially licensed goods outside Wangfujing Gongmei Emporium in Beijing on Feb 7, 2022. [Photo by Zou Hong/chinadaily.com.cn]

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics mascot, Bing Dwen Dwen, a cuddly panda with an ice crystal shell, has become everyone's new favorite.

In the Olympic Village, athletes and staff are scrambling to post photos and videos with the panda and buy merchandise. Outside the closed Olympic loop, mascot merchandise like keychains and dolls are already out of stock at licensed online retailers and many physical shops.

"Every time we restocked, we sold out in half an hour. The demand completely exceeds supply," said Liu Hao, one of the workers at the souvenir shop in the Zhangjiakou Mountain Media Center. Liu added that Bing Dwen Dwen is particularly popular with foreign visitors.

Huang Jingran, who works at Zhangjiakou's Genting Ski Resort, started waiting in line at 8:15am in front of the official store on Saturday, 45 minutes before doors opened.

"I thought I could buy everything later, but I didn't expect the merchandise to be so popular, so I waited in line before the shop opened, hoping to get some as soon as they became available," she said.