As the Year of the Rat approaches, commodities featuring rats have become highly popular on China's e-commerce platforms during the Spring Festival shopping season, with some even going out of stock.

Red packets with rat elements sold on Taobao.com. (Screenshot from taobao.com)

E-commerce products containing rat elements are in high demand with the lunar new year approaching. Such products include mobile phone cases with rat pictures, wines for the Year of the Rat, or even underwear with rat patterns.

In recent days, products such as gold pendants and bracelets for the year of the rat have sold well, said a customer service assistant from a gold store, adding that some customers have bought the products to give their friends as gifts.

In the Year of the Rat, Mickey Mouse and Jerry, two famous cartoon characters, have featured on all kinds of products from clothes, shoes and bags to snacks and skin care products.

According to several media reports, a series of products authorized by Disney, such as Mickey Mouse red packets, Mickey Mouse couplets, Mickey Mouse calendars and so on, have already sold out online.

Statistics from Tmall, Alibaba's B2C e-commerce platform, also show that because the Year of the Rat is the zodiac sign for people born in 1996, red underwear has become their favorite choice.