Beijing has inaugurated the world’s first 4S store dedicated to humanoid robots in the Yizhuang robotics park—aligned with the 2025 World Robot Conference held from August 8–12. The facility, known as Robot Mall, offers an integrated experience: Sales, Service, Spare parts, and Surveys, just like automotive dealerships.
The four-story store showcases over 100 robots from more than 40 Chinese brands, including humanoid Albert Einstein replicas, robotic pets, chess-playing bots, and service robots performing tasks like bartending and pharmacy shelf-stocking.
(Sources: Reuters)
Strategic Significance and Industry Impact
- The store represents a pivotal step in transitioning humanoid robotics from lab demos to consumer retail models, addressing China’s leadership ambitions in AI and robotics.
- Wang Yifan, store director, emphasized that traditional robotics companies lack sales and marketing reach—Robot Mall fills that gap.
- Beijing is backing the industry with ** over $20B in subsidies** and plans for a 1 trillion yuan AI and robotics fund, encouraging ecosystem growth.
(Sources: AP News)
Future Outlook for Robotics in China
The Robot Mall plays a dual role as both a retail showcase and a public innovation platform, helping companies test market products and gather consumer insights—the “survey” aspect of the 4S model. This initiative supports the vision of scaling humanoid robotics beyond research labs into everyday living.
