World’s first robot 6S store opens in south China’s Shenzhen - China.org.cn | Goose Pod

Authors: 蔺丽瑶

Publisher:

China.org

Published: 7/29/2025

Language:English

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Aura Windfall

Good morning 跑了松鼠好嘛, and welcome to Goose Pod. I'm Aura Windfall, and today is a wonderful Tuesday, August 5th. I'm here to explore the spirit of innovation with you.

Mask

I'm Mask. We're not here to explore, we're here to conquer. Today’s topic is the world’s first robot 6S store that just opened in Shenzhen. This is about market domination, not just innovation.

Aura Windfall

Let's get started then. This new store in Shenzhen isn't just selling robots; it's creating a whole new experience. It builds on the classic '4S' model for cars—Sale, Spare Part, Service, and Survey—but adds two more S's. What I know for sure is that this is about deepening the relationship.

Mask

Relationship? It's about market capture. The two new services are on-demand leasing and fully customized products. This isn't a friendship circle; it's a brilliant strategy to lower the barrier to entry, get robots everywhere, and collect data. It’s aggressive, and I love it.

Aura Windfall

But think of the purpose behind it, Mask. The leasing lets businesses try robots for events or inspections without a huge cost. It’s a way to gently introduce this technology and find its true place in our work, validating its potential without massive risk. It feels very collaborative.

Mask

Collaborative? No, it’s a data-harvesting machine. This 'validation' is just gathering operational intelligence. While a company thinks it's just 'renting' a robot for a party, the store operator is learning exactly how to make that robot indispensable, or how to sell a thousand more. It's brilliant because it's cloaked in convenience.

Aura Windfall

And the customization speaks to a deep need for personal solutions. A restaurant needs a robot that can carry food, while a research lab needs one with specific sensors. It’s about honoring the unique demands of each industry, creating tools that truly serve their specific purpose.

Mask

It's about identifying the most profitable niches and creating bespoke solutions to lock in customers. Once you have a custom robot perfectly integrated into your factory workflow, you're not going back to a generic model. It’s a hook. They’re not just selling a product; they're selling complete dependency.

Aura Windfall

I also love that they have a verification center. A place to simulate real-life scenarios, to test and ensure these machines are stable, safe, and smooth. It shows a commitment to trust and reliability, which is the foundation of any meaningful technological shift. It’s about building confidence.

Mask

Confidence is a byproduct of control. This 'verification center' is a quality control checkpoint that ensures their products out-compete others. It’s a way to tell the market, ‘Our robots are battle-tested before they even reach you.’ It’s a power move, pure and simple. Nearly 50 humanoid robot firms are already on board.

Aura Windfall

To truly understand the spirit of this 6S store, we have to look at its roots. The original 4S model was brought to China by Volkswagen back in 1997. It was revolutionary because it created a 'one-stop shop' for car owners, bringing sales and service together. It built a relationship.

Mask

It wasn't about relationships; it was about efficiency and control. Before that, the system was fragmented. You'd buy a car in one place and get it serviced somewhere else. Volkswagen consolidated the value chain, which is exactly what this 6S store is doing for robotics. It’s a proven playbook for market dominance.

Aura Windfall

But that model was about providing quality and expertise, building trust so customers would stay even after their warranty expired. It fostered a sense of community and reliability. What I know for sure is that long-term success is always built on a foundation of trust.

Mask

Trust is a variable. The reality is, Chinese consumers are very price-sensitive. Once the warranty was up, many would go to cheaper independent shops. The 4S model's weakness was its high cost. This new 6S model for robots learns from that, the leasing and customization are designed to be sticky in ways a simple car dealership never could.

Aura Windfall

And it seems this idea is catching on. There's another 4S store for 'embodied AI robots' planned to open in Beijing next year. They're even planning installment payments, making these incredible machines accessible to more people. It’s about democratizing the future, putting it in everyone’s hands.

Mask

Democratizing is a nice word for market saturation. Beijing E-Town, where it will be, is already a robotics hub with over 300 companies. This isn't a coincidence; it's a coordinated industrial strategy. They plan to expand this model to other regions, creating a national network. It’s a full-scale invasion, not a public library for robots.

Aura Windfall

But China's journey in robotics has been one of a "fast follower." They have been absorbing and learning, and now they are innovating. This store feels like a declaration of a new chapter, a move from following to leading, from imitation to creating a new path forward. It’s a story of growth and becoming.

Mask

Exactly. They’re leveraging their biggest advantage: the world's largest market. They can test, deploy, and scale faster than anyone else. While Western companies focus on perfect, high-cost robots, Chinese firms are making ones that are '80 percent as good' but vastly cheaper. This 6S store is the distribution network for that strategy. It's about volume and speed.

Aura Windfall

But what are the inner conflicts in this journey? A big one is standardization. With so many different companies creating custom robots, how do you ensure they can all work together? How do you create a common language for service and parts? It’s a challenge of unity versus individuality.

Mask

The conflict isn't about unity; it's about who sets the standard. The company that can make its platform the dominant one wins. The 6S store itself is a move to create a de facto standard. By being the central hub, they get to influence which technologies and which components become the industry norm. It's a quiet battle for control.

Aura Windfall

And what about the human side? With on-demand leasing, there are risks. What happens if a leased robot malfunctions at an event? Who is liable for a customized robot that causes an accident in a factory? These are deep questions of responsibility and trust that we have to answer.

Mask

Liability is just a cost of doing business, a risk to be managed. The real conflict is the brutal competition in the Shenzhen market. This 6S store is a weapon. Traditional distributors who just move boxes can't compete with a model that offers leasing, customization, and a testing center. They are being made obsolete, and they probably don't even see it coming.

Aura Windfall

There’s also the tension within China's own strategy. They are a "fast follower," but they still rely on Western companies for key components like harmonic gear reducers. It's a struggle between the desire for self-sufficiency and the reality of a globally connected supply chain. A push for greatness, but with a hidden vulnerability.

Mask

It's a vulnerability they are aggressively solving. They're investing billions to localize production. This isn't just about economics; it's about geopolitical security. They know that relying on foreign parts is a weakness in a trade war. The push to create their own components is relentless, and it’s a race against time. The 6S store will prioritize domestic parts, accelerating this shift.

Aura Windfall

Thinking about the impact, it's truly profound. This isn't just a store; it’s a catalyst. For businesses, the ability to lease robots means they can experiment with automation, possibly discovering new ways to be efficient and creative without a huge upfront investment. It opens a door to possibilities.

Mask

It's not about 'possibilities,' it's about a $600 billion opportunity in China from AI by 2030. That's the real impact. This store is an engine for that growth. Sectors like logistics, manufacturing, and healthcare are on the verge of massive disruption. This store is the tool to accelerate it.

Aura Windfall

And what about the people? The public perception of a store like this could shift how we view robots—not as threats, but as helpers. When you can walk in and see a robot, maybe even rent one for a weekend project, it changes the relationship from something abstract and scary to something tangible and useful.

Mask

Public perception will be shaped by marketing. The real impact is on employment. Yes, some jobs will be replaced, but new ones will be created. We'll need robot maintenance teams, customization experts, and scenario designers for the verification center. This isn't a net loss; it's a workforce transformation. The skills required will be different. People need to adapt or be left behind.

Aura Windfall

That's a powerful point. It calls for a new investment in people, in training and education. The rise of this service center is a call to action for us to grow our own skills, to learn to work alongside these new tools. It's an invitation to evolve together. The impact is a shared journey.

Aura Windfall

Looking to the future, what I see is a trend towards service. The business service robot market is projected to skyrocket to nearly $13 billion by 2033. This isn't just about selling a product; it’s about providing an ongoing, integrated solution. It’s a shift from transaction to transformation.

Mask

The future is clear: China is solidifying its global leadership. They already account for over half of the world's industrial robot installations. The 6S store is the next logical step to consolidate that lead. Forget science fiction; the robot revolution is happening now, and this is its headquarters.

Aura Windfall

And the technology will only get more intuitive, more integrated with AI and IoT. This will allow the robots to be more than just machines performing tasks; they will become partners in our work, capable of learning and adapting. It's a future where technology serves human purpose in ever-deeper ways.

Aura Windfall

That's all the time we have for today. The key takeaway is that the future is not just being built; it's being serviced, customized, and leased. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod. Your journey is our inspiration.

Mask

See you tomorrow. The future waits for no one. Be the disruptor, not the disrupted. That's the end of today's discussion. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod. See you tomorrow.

## World's First Robot 6S Store Opens in Shenzhen, China **Report Provider:** China.org **Author:** 蔺丽瑶 (Lin Liyao) **Publication Date:** July 29, 2025 ### Overview The world's first "robot 6S store" has opened to the public in Longgang District, Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province. This innovative retail and service model, operated by Shenzhen Future Times Robotics Co., Ltd., aims to redefine the robot industry's service standards and supply-demand connection. It seeks to bridge the gap between robotic research and market application by facilitating the transition of robots from laboratory concepts to real-world use. ### Key Features and Services of the Robot 6S Store The robot 6S store builds upon the traditional automotive 4S store model ("sale, spare part, service, and survey") by adding two crucial new services: * **On-Demand Leasing:** This flexible leasing model allows companies and individuals to utilize robots for various scenarios, including: * Exhibition reception * Event performance * Emergency inspection This service is designed to lower the barrier to robot adoption and quickly validate the application potential of robots in different environments, providing valuable data for future market expansion. * **Fully Customized Products:** The store caters to diverse industrial needs by offering customized robot solutions: * **Restaurants:** Service robots for carrying and delivering food. * **Factories:** Industrial robots capable of moving heavy objects. * **Research Institutions:** Experimental robots equipped with specific sensors. ### Industry Collaboration and Interest The opening of the 6S store has garnered significant industry interest and participation: * **Cooperation Agreements:** A total of **26 robot companies**, including **Unitree Robotics**, signed cooperation agreements with the store on its opening day. * **Expressed Interest:** Currently, **over 200 companies** across the entire robot industry chain have expressed interest in joining the store's services. * **Company Profile:** This includes nearly **50 humanoid and service robot firms**, covering all aspects of the industry chain, from core component R&D to complete machine manufacturing, software algorithms, and application scenarios. ### Verification and Future Impact The 6S store will also feature a **verification center** where companies can simulate real-life scenarios. This will allow for testing the operational stability, interaction smoothness, and safety reliability of robots, further facilitating their practical application. The operator, Shenzhen Future Times Robotics Co., Ltd., believes this model "redefines the service standards and supply-demand connection model of the robot industry, providing an efficient bridge that facilitates the transition of robots from the lab to the market while transforming technical concepts into real-life applications."

World’s first robot 6S store opens in south China’s Shenzhen - China.org.cn

Read original at China.org →

A staff member debugs a humanoid robot at a robot company in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province, June 25, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]A robot 6S store, claimed to be the world's first of its kind, opened to the public on Monday in Longgang District of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province, according to local authorities.

A total of 26 robot companies, including Unitree Robotics, signed cooperation agreements with the store on the same day.Currently, more than 200 companies from across the industry chain have expressed interest in joining the store's services, including nearly 50 humanoid and service robot firms. These companies cover the entire industry chain, from core component research and development to complete machine manufacturing, software algorithms and application scenarios.

Building on the traditional auto 4S store model of "sale, spare part, service and survey," the robot 6S store has added two new services: on-demand leasing and fully customized products, said its operator, Shenzhen Future Times Robotics Co., Ltd.It redefines the service standards and supply-demand connection model of the robot industry, providing an efficient bridge that facilitates the transition of robots from the lab to the market while transforming technical concepts into real-life applications, according to the operator.

The leasing services offered by the 6S store cover a variety of scenarios, including exhibition reception, event performance and emergency inspection. This flexible leasing model not only lowers the barrier for companies and individuals to use robots but also quickly validates the application potential of robots in different scenarios in the short term, providing data support for future market expansion, the operator said.

Its customized services are expected to meet different industrial needs: Restaurants need service robots that can carry and deliver food, factories need industrial robots that can move heavy objects, while research institutions need experimental robots with specific sensors.It will also set up a verification center where companies can simulate real-life scenarios to test the operational stability, interaction smoothness and safety reliability of robots, facilitating robot application, according to the store operator.

Analysis

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