- The store combines robot sales, rentals, services and hands-on experiences for consumers and businesses
- It reflects a broader push by Chinese cities to move robots from factories and exhibitions into real-world applications
Nanjing has opened what it calls its first robot 6S store, giving consumers and businesses a new way to buy, rent and test robots as Chinese cities seek to bring the technology closer to everyday use.
The store began trial operations on September 28 at the Nanjing Air-Ground Digital Intelligence Industrial Park in Jiangning Development Zone.
It combines product displays, hands-on experiences, sales and services, covering everything from robot rentals and spare parts to after-sales support and customized solutions.
A six-in-one model
The “6S” model refers to six functions: sales, spare-parts supply, pre- and after-sales services, education, rental and customization.
The concept is designed to cover a robot’s full lifecycle rather than simply serve as a retail showroom.
The store features a robot dog control area and a humanoid robot exhibition space, with robots for inspection, services and industrial applications.
The first floor focuses on applications and sales, while the second floor offers interactive experiences. An outdoor area includes an unmanned retail warehouse.
The store will also host AI education courses, youth study programs and technology-themed events, giving visitors opportunities to interact with robots beyond simply viewing them.
From factory to storefront
The move comes as Nanjing seeks to build on its industrial base. The city is home to nearly 300 robotics companies and has led the nation in industrial robot production for several years.
Jiangning has more than 160 companies spanning robot manufacturing, core components and system integration.
In the first half of 2026, its service-robot output surged 269.7% from a year earlier, while the export value of its service robots more than quintupled, according to local authorities.
The store illustrates how Nanjing is extending its robotics industry from production to consumption.
Instead of keeping robots inside factories or exhibition halls, the city is creating a physical gateway for consumers and companies to experience and deploy them.
A nationwide robot fever
The approach is part of a broader trend across China. Local governments are increasingly opening real-world scenarios — from retail and logistics to homes, tourism and public services — to help robotics companies test and commercialize their products.
Within a year, “opening up application scenarios” has become a common policy tool for cities seeking to accelerate the robotics industry.
Nanjing’s 6S store is the latest in a series of such efforts, bringing robots into everyday settings where their commercial value can be tested by actual users.
Header image credit: Nanjing Communications Group
