Summary of Key Points
Recently, leading companies in embodied intelligence technology, such as Yushu Technology and Zhiyuan Robotics (which develop robots that can move and interact like humans or animals), have begun to open physical stores in core shopping districts of first-tier cities like Nanjing West Road in Shanghai and Wangfujing in Beijing. These stores are not just simple “technology showcases”; they serve the purpose of acquiring customers, testing business models, and ensuring the entire process from experience to delivery to after-sales service is smooth. Although robots have not yet truly entered households due to high prices and immature functional capabilities, their primary customers are businesses and research institutions (the B-side). However, the foot traffic and a few sales at these physical stores indicate that there is indeed demand from the consumer market (the C-side). In the future, distribution channels will combine the efficiency of mobile devices with the high-value conversion potential of automobiles, gradually expanding from first-tier shopping districts to broader markets, though a large-scale adoption is still some time away.
Detailed Analysis
1. Why Do Robot Manufacturers Open Physical Stores? — Online Parameters Are Insufficient; You Need to “Touch and Feel” the Products
Robots are different from mobile phones: while mobile phone specifications (such as memory and cameras) can be evaluated online, robots are “living entities.” Questions like whether they walk steadily or communicate smoothly with humans, and whether their functions are practical, cannot be determined just by looking at a screen. For example, you might find a robot dog dancing in a video impressive, but the experience of touching its material or controlling it to take a few steps would be completely different.
Manufacturers choose to open stores in core shopping districts to allow ordinary consumers to “see, touch, and use” the robots firsthand, thereby breaking the perception that robots are out of reach. After all, who would be willing to spend money on something they’ve never even seen?
2. Two Types of Physical Stores: Brand-Owned Direct Stores vs. Multi-Brand Retailers, Each with Their Own Strategy
There are mainly two types of physical stores:
- Brand-Owned Direct Stores: For example, Yushu Technology’s store in Wangfujing Beijing manages everything from product display to sales services, offering a range of products priced from 8,000 yuan for robot dogs to 170,000 yuan for humanoid robots. The goal is to build a strong brand image and directly control the user experience.
- Multi-Brand Retailers: Such as Taozhu Xinzhaoju (with five stores in Beijing), which features over 200 products from various manufacturers, ranging from humanoid robots to smart wearables, acting as a “robot version of Suning.” There’s also the Wuhan Optics Valley 7S Store, which not only sells robots but also provides rental, maintenance, and customization services. The aim of these stores is to create entry points for robot consumption, meeting the needs of different customers.
Both types of stores aim to bring robots out of exhibitions and videos into everyday consumer scenarios.
3. Behind the Buzz: A “Traffic Experiment” or Real Business? — It’s About Learning from Mistakes Before Selling
Many people wonder if these stores will be profitable. The current answer is “we’re still testing, but there’s hope”:
- Short-term Focus: The primary purpose of these stores is to acquire customers (to attract passersby), test business models (which functions users are willing to pay for and what prices they can accept), and refine the entire process (from experience to after-sales service). For instance, Yushu’s stores have seen more effective word-of-mouth through user-generated content shared on social media than traditional advertising.
- Real Sales Are Happening: The Wuhan Optics Valley 7S Store has sold 615,000 units in its first two months, and Yushu’s Wangfujing store is profitable. This shows that there is demand from the C-side, though the volume is still small.
- B-Side Customers Remain Key: According to Yushu’s data for the first three quarters of 2025, 73% of humanoid robot sales came from research and education, with only 17% from commercial use. Therefore, these stores are more like experimental fields rather than traditional retail outlets.
4. Future Distribution Channels: Emulating the Efficiency of Mobile Devices and the Conversion Potential of Automobiles
Robot distribution channels will not simply copy those of mobile phones or automobiles but will combine their strengths:
- Learning from Mobile Phones: Using core shopping district stores as brand hubs and offering a full range of products to cater to different budgets (from affordable robot dogs to expensive humanoid robots), along with services like financing and leasing, to extend the customer lifecycle—similar to the strategy of high-end mobile phone stores, which reduces the need for extensive testing.
- Learning from Automobiles: Given the high cost of robots (ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of yuan), similar to automobiles, users make more cautious decisions. Therefore, in-depth experiences are necessary, such as allowing customers to take robots home for a trial period, just like with car test drives, to address their concerns.
The future trend is for these channels to expand from first-tier shopping districts to second- and third-tier cities through distributors and franchise partnerships, similar to how mobile phones and automobiles have spread.
5. How Far Are We From Home Use? — Three Bottlenecks Need to Be Overcome
Despite the excitement around physical stores, robots are still far from becoming a common household item due to three main challenges:
- High Prices: Humanoid robots are often very expensive, making them unaffordable for most families.
- Imperfect Functional Capabilities: Current robot capabilities (such as guided tours or simple companionship) are not yet compelling enough to drive mandatory purchases.
- After-Sales Support: Issues like who to contact for repairs and how to maintain robots have not been fully resolved.
Thus, current physical stores serve as a starting point. Only when technologies, costs, and usage scenarios are more mature will robots truly become part of everyday life.
Final Conclusion
Robot physical stores are not just for show; they represent a necessary step in the commercialization of embodied intelligence technology. The goal is to first let consumers “see and experience” the products, then test the business models, and finally wait for breakthroughs in technology and cost. This competitive landscape has just begun.