Wechat pay's smart retail robot makes its store debut, offering welcome, guidance, and ordering services

On October 29, 2026, the 2000th 7-ELEVEN store in Guangdong opened in Shenzhen's Tencent headquarters campus. During the event, a WeChat Pay-branded smart retail robot made its first appearance in a store, offering services such as product recommendations, order assistance, and payment support. The robot enables customers to select items and then scan a code to complete the transaction. According to official statements, the robot helps with welcoming customers, guiding them, and taking orders, allowing staff to focus on restocking, heating food, and managing the store environment. The robot is built on Tencent's Hunyuan model, leveraging its advanced multi-turn dialogue and agent capabilities to support daily sales, payments, and store operations. It also features Tencent's Tianlu inside audio solution, ensuring clear communication even in noisy environments.