03-08-2025
China's customisable robot market may be about to take off
A store near a bustling shopping centre in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen feels more like a small robotics fair, with all kinds of robots – from humanoid assistants to food delivery bots and massage machines – quietly drawing curious eyes.
Amid the excited chatter of children accompanying their parents, company owners, investors and tech enthusiasts busily exchange contact details and discuss collaboration. Some hope to place their own robots in the newly opened 60 square metre (646 sq ft) store; others are looking to make a purchase.
China's robotics industry has expanded rapidly in recent years and is now eyeing vast consumer and service markets – a familiar playbook for the country's manufacturers.
The Future Era store, which opened in Shenzhen's Longgang district on Monday, bills itself as the world's first '6S' robot store – offering leasing and customisation services in addition to the traditional '4S' retail staples of a showroom, sales, spare parts and customer service.
Customers can browse the many models on display and then choose to buy, rent or even build their own by selecting components that suit their needs.
The store showcases robots from companies such as Hangzhou-based Unitree Robotics, and Shenzhen's Engine AI and Leju Robot, with daily rental prices ranging from around 5,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan (US$695 to US$2,781).
Instead of paying robot makers hefty agent fees, it adopts a profit-sharing model, splitting revenues 50-50 with the manufacturers, deputy manager Zhang Shuai said.
Customers can receive the robots they order in less than 10 days, he said, even when modifications are required to meet specific needs.
'This is currently one of the most efficient ways to connect robot makers with customers,' Zhang said. 'People can come in, see and interact with the products in person – or just stumble in out of curiosity and discover the latest models on display for potential collaboration.'
Amid intensifying tech rivalry with the United States, China's robotics industry has emerged as a key pillar of Beijing's broader strategy to seize an early edge in emerging technologies and position itself at the forefront of the next global wave of innovation.
Leveraging its manufacturing scale, rapid iteration cycles and well-developed supply chains, China's robotics industry is rapidly scaling up, poised to tap into a vast domestic market and accelerate real-world adoption.
China was home to more than 741,700 robotics-related companies last year, Shenzhen Daily reported, with many of the sector's leading players moving on to mass production.
Unitree shipped over 20,000 robot dogs last year, securing nearly 70 per cent of the global consumer-grade legged robot market, according to the Gaogong Industry Research Institute, a market research firm based in Shenzhen.
Zhang said Future Era had received orders worth more than 200,000 yuan in its first week of operation. With the robotics industry booming, every part of the value chain holds potential
While Shenzhen, in Guangdong province, is a renowned innovation hub, similar stores are in the pipeline across the country – some backed by private investors eyeing the sector's potential, others supported by local governments keen to promote emerging industries.
'It's a real business opportunity,' said Duan Lixiao, who travelled from Hainan province to visit the Future Era store.
She has already secured a location in a shopping centre in Haikou, Hainan's provincial capital, hoping to bring the concept back home.
'With the robotics industry booming, every part of the value chain holds potential,' Duan said.
Lin Hong, a marketing executive at a robotics company in Guangzhou, Guangdong's provincial capital, said many local governments across the country were planning to assist in the setting up of robotics stores.
He said 'more than 10 local governments' had approached the company about placing its robots in stores they planned to launch, citing interest from provinces such as Sichuan, Shanxi and Hebei.
Among the agreements signed by Lin's company is one with a store in Beijing that is expected to open this month.
Zhang said Future Era received strong support from the district government, with officials helping it connect with robot manufacturers and facilitating collaboration.
The store had signed agreements with more than 50 robot makers and component suppliers, he said.
'We're planning to open more than 50 stores like this across the country,' Zhang said. 'People from various provinces have already approached us, expressing interest in becoming franchise partners.' - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
