World's first humanoid robot dealership to open in Beijing

The world's first 4S dealership for embodied intelligent robots is set to open in Beijing in August, offering sales, spare parts, after-sales support and information services, according to the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.

Located in the ZGC E-Town International Robot Industrial Park, the dealership is expected to feature nearly 30 robot brands, including Tiangong, a humanoid robot that drew attention after completing a half-marathon.

The rapid mass production of humanoid robots in Beijing, with thousands expected to be manufactured this year, has underscored the need for expanded sales and maintenance infrastructure, industry officials said.

"We're primarily focused on building excellent robots, and that puts significant pressure on aspects like after-sales service," explained Liu Yizhang, head of the Embodied Intelligence Body Division at the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center.

The center recently partnered with the robot 4S dealership, a move Liu believes will greatly assist companies, especially by handling maintenance and after-sales operations.

The embodied intelligent robot industry remains in the early stages of industrialization, with this year marking the start of large-scale mass production. The sector is shifting focus from technological breakthroughs to broader commercial applications.

Liang Liang, deputy director of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area Management Committee, said the fast growth of the robot industry is creating challenges. These include not enough reliable repair services, shortages of spare parts, and a lack of places for people to see and try the products. He said building a one-stop service platform — like those used in the auto industry — is essential to support robots throughout their entire lifecycle.

The robot 4S dealership aims to address industry gaps by letting customers see and try out robots in real-life settings — an improvement over the online-only sales channels used by many companies.

More than 100 upstream and downstream enterprises in the robotics supply chain have expressed interest in joining the dealership.

To streamline purchases, the 4S dealership is developing a financial services system in cooperation with banks and insurance providers, enabling future buyers to access loan and insurance options alongside one-stop sales and service.

The first phase of the robot 4S dealership is set to open in August during the World Robot Conference, with the second phase expected in November. Organizers said the dealership will first expand across Beijing, then to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and later to the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions.