Robot hire for retail is one of the quickest ways to win the three things every shop and shopping centre is chasing: people who stop, people who stay, and people who remember you. Put a robot on a mall concourse or at the front of a store and you get all three at once – shoppers slow down, pull out their phones and start a conversation with your brand.
In this guide, we cover what robot hire for retail costs in 2026, which robots suit which kind of retail space, and how a booking actually works, from out-of-hours setup to the final pack-down.
Quick answer: Yes – you can hire a robot for a shop, shopping centre or retail pop-up for a single day, a weekend or a full seasonal campaign. Robots of London supplies greeter, digital signage, humanoid and robot-arm experiences with delivery, setup and an operator on site. Expect roughly £400–£800 a day for a basic service robot, £500–£1,200 a day for a digital signage robot and £1,000–£2,000 a day for Pepper, rising to £8,000–£10,000 a day for a flagship humanoid like Mirokaï.
Robot Hire for Retail: 2026 Price Table
These are the robot hire for retail day rates we publish across the site. However, final prices depend on your dates, trading hours, location and how much custom content you need.
| Robot | Best retail use | Typical day rate |
|---|---|---|
| Basic service / greeter robot | Welcoming shoppers, simple Q&A, directions | £400–£800 |
| Digital signage robot | Moving adverts, offers and wayfinding on a mall concourse | £500–£1,200 |
| Pepper | Interactive greeter, store launches, family and half-term events | £1,000–£2,000 (£4,000–£7,000 a week) |
| Robot arm (barista / bar) | Product sampling, coffee and drinks activations, live demos | £2,000–£5,000 |
| Luma | Headline humanoid moment for flagship openings and launches | Quote on request |
| Aura | Branded humanoid host for campaigns and activations | Quote on request |
| Mirokaï | Premium guest engagement, luxury retail, VIP evenings | £8,000–£10,000 |
For the full breakdown of every robot we hire, see our UK robot hire price guide for 2026.
Why Hire a Robot for a Shop or Shopping Centre?
Robot hire for retail works for the same reason it works on an exhibition stand: a robot is moving, it is unexpected and, above all, it invites people to interact. As a result, you get:
- More footfall. A robot is a visual anchor that shoppers can see from the far end of a concourse or from across the street.
- Longer dwell time. People stop to talk to it, film it and take selfies with it – time they spend at your unit instead of walking past.
- A message that actually lands. Robots can deliver offers, campaign messages and directions by voice or on screen, far more memorably than a static poster.
- Free social content. Shoppers share robot videos without being asked, extending your campaign beyond the people physically in the centre.
- Data and sign-ups. On-screen forms, QR codes and voucher codes turn curiosity into measurable leads.
Which Robot Is Best for Retail?
Shopping centre concourses and seasonal campaigns
A digital signage robot is the workhorse here. It moves through the mall carrying your advert or promotion on a large screen, so your message comes to the shopper rather than waiting on a wall. Pepper is the stronger choice if you want real two-way interaction – greeting families, answering questions and running simple games.
Store openings and product launches
When you want a genuine “what is that?” moment, go humanoid, because nothing stops shoppers faster. Luma, Aura and Mirokaï all draw a crowd on opening day. Not sure which one fits? Our Aura vs Luma vs Mirokaï comparison breaks it down.
Sampling, demos and food & drink
A robot arm making coffee or serving drinks turns a sampling stand into a show. For example, it is ideal for FMCG launches, food halls and brand activations where you want people to queue for the product, not just the spectacle.
Fashion windows and in-store displays
For fashion retailers, a robot mannequin brings a window or rail to life with movement and gestures – a very different proposition to a static dummy.
Christmas, half-term and family events
Peak trading periods are when centres compete hardest for families, so this is where robot hire for retail pays off most. A friendly, talkative robot like Pepper is a natural fit for Christmas campaigns, half-term events and kids’ days – and it photographs brilliantly.
What Changes the Price of a Retail Robot Hire?
- Number of days. Multi-day and weekly bookings work out cheaper per day than a single day – Pepper, for example, runs £4,000–£7,000 a week.
- Trading hours. Shopping centres open long days, so longer hours on site mean more operator time.
- Custom content. Branded screens, scripted speech and bespoke interactions take preparation time before the event.
- Location. We deliver across the UK. Naturally, the further from our base, the more travel and accommodation is involved.
- Setup windows. Many centres only allow installation before opening or after close, which in turn can affect crew scheduling.
- Number of robots. Running robots in several units or several centres at once is quoted as a package.
How Does Robot Hire for Retail Work?
Booking robot hire for retail is simple, and in most cases we handle everything from the first call to the final pack-down:
- Tell us about the space and the goal. Concourse, store, window or pop-up – and whether you want footfall, sales, sign-ups or social content.
- We recommend a robot and quote. You get a clear price for your dates, hours and location.
- Content and branding prep. We set up screens, speech and interactions around your campaign.
- Delivery and setup. We install the robot, usually before the centre or store opens.
- Operator on site. A member of our team runs the robot and looks after shoppers throughout.
- Pack-down. We remove everything after close, leaving the space as we found it.
Checklist for Shopping Centres and Store Teams
- First, get sign-off from centre management early – they will usually ask for a risk assessment and public liability insurance details, and we will help you pull that together.
- Confirm floor space and a clear route if the robot is going to move around.
- Check power access for charging during the day.
- Ask about Wi-Fi if your activation relies on live data, sign-up forms or a cloud connection.
- Finally, agree your key message and call to action before the robot is programmed.
Should Retailers Hire or Buy a Robot?
For campaigns, launches and seasonal activity, robot hire for retail almost always makes more sense than buying, because you get the robot, the content, the crew and the insurance for exactly the days you need them. If you are planning a permanent robot in-store, our sister company Robot Center handles robot sales, deployment and Robotics-as-a-Service.
FAQs
How much does it cost to hire a robot for a shopping centre?
Robot hire for a shopping centre starts from around £400–£800 a day for a basic service robot and £500–£1,200 a day for a digital signage robot. Pepper runs £1,000–£2,000 a day, and flagship humanoids such as Mirokaï run £8,000–£10,000 a day.
Can a robot show our adverts and offers?
Yes. A digital signage robot carries your adverts, promotions or wayfinding on a large screen as it moves around the centre, and Pepper can display content on its chest tablet while talking to shoppers.
Can I hire a robot for a full week or a seasonal campaign?
Yes. Weekly and multi-week bookings are common for retail. In addition, they cost less per day than a one-off booking. Pepper, for example, is £4,000–£7,000 a week.
Does the robot come with an operator?
Yes. Our retail hires include a member of our team on site to run the robot, handle any content changes and keep interactions with shoppers safe.
Do you cover shopping centres outside London?
Yes. We deliver robots right across the UK and also cover Europe and the USA.
How far in advance should I book a retail robot?
As early as you can, especially for Christmas and other peak trading periods when demand for robots is highest and centre management needs time to approve the activation.
Ready to Put a Robot in Your Shop or Shopping Centre?
Ready to try robot hire for retail? Tell us about your space, your dates and what you want the robot to achieve, and we will recommend the right robot and send you a quote. Call 0845 528 0404, email sales@robotsoflondon.co.uk or get in touch here.