Lifelike Robots Now Available To Public At China's First 'Robot Mall'

China has launched the world's first "4S" robot store in Yizhuang (Beijing E-Town), Beijing, in what's a major step towards the commercialisation of humanoid robotics.

The Robot Mall opened alongside the five-day 2025 World Robot Conference and features over 100 machines, including household aides, human-like figures, and pets, from more than 40 domestic manufacturers, according to The Global Times.

The four-story Robot Mall, spanning over 4,000 square metres, features seven main categories and over 50 robot brands.

It is based on the "4S" model of the car industry - Sales, Service, Spare-parts, and Surveys-and functions as a futuristic showroom and a one-stop robotics services hub, providing diagnostics, maintenance, user feedback, and even business matching prospects.

Visitors can see a variety of robots, including interactive mechanical waiters, chess-playing companions, robotic pets, and life-size Albert Einstein replicas that can teach physics ideas. A robot-themed restaurant next to the store lets patrons eat with robot cooks, bartenders, and even rock bands.

Besides competing against robot athletes in chess, basketball, and football, visitors can interact with robot hands and dogs. Compared to conventional robot dealers, this 4S store provides full-process services, and helps optimise products and match them with market demands, Meng Yanpei, a Robot Mall representative, said.

"If robots are to enter thousands of households, relying solely on robotics companies is not enough," Wang Yifan, the store's director, told Reuters.

Wang said the robots cost between 2,000 yuan (Rs 24,407) and several million.

Beijing is preparing to host the first-ever World Humanoid Robot Games, where teams from over 20 nations will compete in football, dance, and track and field from August 14 to 17, BBC reported.