After Robot Rental Prices Fall 70%, How Does the Industry Shed Its Buffer?

By 2026, daily rental for humanoid robots has fallen to the thousand-yuan range, down more than 70% from early 2025; daily rental for robot dogs has dropped below 500 yuan, and more than 90% of rental stalls in Huaqiangbei have withdrawn. The article argues that the root cause of falling rents is not only increased supply, but also that rental and sales share the same demand pool, dominated by entertainment performances and educational displays, with low repurchase rates. Manufacturer-controlled rental platforms absorb production capacity and inventory through subsidies, but the buffer layer is limited, and the industry is being forced to push robots into scenarios with sustained repurchases, such as industrial manufacturing and warehousing logistics.