Best Retail Robots for Guiding Shoppers to the Right Aisle

Introduction

In big stores, one of the most frequently heard questions is “Where do I find…?”. Each answer takes an assistant away from the shop floor, and customers who fail to find what they need tend to give up. A guide robot is worth thinking about only if it can answer all these questions correctly and, where necessary, show the customer which aisle to take.

This ranking ranks the OrionStar GreetingBot Nova, UBTECH Cruzr 1S and PadBot X1 for this task. All three are reception robots with a screen and autonomous navigation; their main differences lie in how they interact with customers and how much time they can serve continuously.

Each robot is rated out of 10 for five criteria with weights: wayfinding and answering questions, autonomous guiding, interaction with customers, charging and content management. Overall score out of 100 and the ranking are calculated according to the ROBOT24’s desk research. The ranking is based on capability documentation and editorial analysis, not matched-condition tests in a real store. The methodology is below.

AT A GLANCE

Rank	Robot	Overall score	Standout specification	Best suited to
1	OrionStar GreetingBot Nova	82.5/100	Voice interaction in 30+ languages; 14-inch display	Stores with international or multilingual shoppers
2	UBTECH Cruzr 1S	80.0/100	Guided tours with U-SLAM navigation; gestures with its arms	Large stores and malls that want guiding plus promotion
3	PadBot X1	78.5/100	Custom Q&A and auto wake-up; 10.1-inch screen	Smaller stores with a defined set of common questions

The Robots Behind the Rankings

1. OrionStar GreetingBot Nova: The strongest multilingual guide

Overall score: 82.5/100

The OrionStar GreetingBot Nova takes first place, and its documented multilingual interaction is the main reason. It earns 9/10 for wayfinding and answers, the top score for that criterion. OrionStar positions it as a large-language-model reception robot, and OrionStar says it supports voice interaction in more than 30 languages.

That matters on a busy shop floor. A shopper who asks for an item in their own language and gets a clear answer is far more likely to find it. OrionStar lists ChatGPT, Google Dialogue and its own large language model technology, plus a 14-inch HD screen for directions and promotional content. Its 3D LiDAR covers 240 degrees horizontally to pick up low obstacles in busy spaces, and mapping is marker-free, which simplifies deployment in large stores. It returns to its dock automatically below 10% battery, runs for about 12 to 14 hours and recharges in about 4.5 hours. It scores 8/10 on every other criterion.

One caution: conversational fluency is not the same as accurate store knowledge. Retailers should load the same store map and product locations into Nova as into any rival and check that its answers stay correct. Live stock lookup, where offered, depends on the retailer’s own systems and should be tested separately.

The GreetingBot Nova suits stores, malls and travel retail with international or multilingual shoppers.Retailers should load the same store map and product locations into Nova as into any rival and check that its answers stay correct. Live stock lookup, where offered, depends on the retailer’s own systems and should be tested separately.

The GreetingBot Nova suits stores, malls and travel retail with international or multilingual shoppers.

2. UBTECH Cruzr 1S: The balanced all-rounder

Overall score: 80.0/100

The UBTECH Cruzr 1S finishes second with a perfectly even profile, scoring 8/10 on all five criteria. The robot operates through a cloud-based system which UBTECH describes as their service robot that welcomes guests while answering questions through its built-in multilingual large model and conducts guided tours.

The U-SLAM navigation system from UBTECH functions as the guidance system which the company states allows path planning with centimeter-level accuracy. The robot uses its arms to create gestures while its built-in parade system lets it travel around the store area to deliver promotional messages.

The robot needs three different modes for operation which include command operation and schedule operation and automatic charging to run for eight hours on a single battery charge. The system performs below Nova in wayfinding and answers because it received an 8/10 instead of Nova's 9/10 rating. The Cruzr 1S functions as an ideal solution for big retail locations which include malls and showrooms to use for customer direction and promotional display.

3. PadBot X1: The pragmatic and subdued choice
Overall score: 78.5/100

With just 1.5 points less than the Cruzr 1S, the PadBot X1 rounds up the top five list. The PadBot X1 shares the same ratings with the Cruzr 1S in terms of navigation, autonomous mobility, shopper interaction and content management – all 8/10.

According to PadBot, trackless navigation, facial recognition, as well as auto wake-up are features that automatically identify shoppers approaching within two metres of it. Store employees can easily update the custom Q&A through the PadBot app or web portal to ensure that shoppers find their way to the most frequent questions. Its screen size is 10.1 inches.

This robot scores lowly in terms of charging due to its position – 7/10. Published details show that it has a 9-hour charging period versus 10-hour runtime period. However, PadBot X1 allows auto-returning to the charging station; therefore, stores that are open for extended periods must know when the robot is not available.The PadBot X1 is suitable for small stores with a predetermined list of common queries.

Which fits the best depends on the store

There are only 4 points difference between the three robots. OrionStar GreetingBot Nova takes lead in multilingual question answering capabilities. UBTECH Cruzr 1S is the most balanced robot with great guided tour and promotional capabilities. PadBot X1 follows close with its only drawback being high charging time.

The fairest way to pick the robot would be the equal evaluation. Give all three robots the same map of the store and a list of the questions from customers and check their answering accuracy and speed as well as ability to direct the customer to the right aisle. If there is an inventory integration in place test it separately as it heavily depends on the retailer as well as the robot.
In the end the decision should be made based on the size of the store, number of languages spoken by its customers, working hours and product relocation frequency.

RANKING EXPLAINED

Parameter	What we assess	Weight
Wayfinding and answers	How accurately the robot answers product and location questions, including in different languages.	25%
Autonomous guidance	Ability to lead a shopper to the right aisle safely through a busy store.	25%
Shopper interface	Screen, voice, wake-up and how easily shoppers can start and follow an interaction.	20%
Charging	Run time, charging time and automatic return to the dock.	15%
Content management	How easily staff can update maps, Q&A, product locations and promotions.	15%

Each criterion is scored out of 10, and the weighted scores combine into an overall score out of 100. Wayfinding and guidance carry the most weight because getting the shopper to the right aisle is the job these robots are bought for.

SCORING DETAIL

Robot	C1: Wayfinding and answers	C2: Autonomous guidance	C3: Shopper interface	C4: Charging	C5: Content management	Overall score
OrionStar GreetingBot Nova	9	8	8	8	8	82.5/100
UBTECH Cruzr 1S	8	8	8	8	8	80.0/100
PadBot X1	8	8	8	7	8	78.5/100

These scores are editorial assessments based on documented information and the in-store wayfinding use case. They are not the result of matched-condition independent testing. Real-world performance will vary with store layout, the quality of the loaded map and Q&A content, languages used, configuration and any inventory integration. Specifications, optional features and support terms should be confirmed with the manufacturer or supplier before purchase.