Walmart’s Brief Robot Drop Shows How Close We Are to HouseBots in Every Home

A fascinating development recently surfaced in the world of robotics: a Unitree G1 humanoid robot was listed for sale on Walmart’s online marketplace, momentarily putting advanced robots within reach of curious consumers. While the listing was later removed, the event offers a window into shifting dynamics in robotics, cross-border supply chains, and the democratization of advanced machines.

The Listing: Premium Price, Rapid Shipping

The listing was discovered by users on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), showing the Unitree G1 priced at $21,600 on Walmart, shipped via a third-party vendor. That price is substantially higher than the robot’s estimated retail cost in China (~$13,500), though import fees, logistics, and markup likely played a role.

Interestingly, the product page promised delivery in under a week, with free shipping. Some of the buzz online expressed surprise that a Chinese-made robot could be available so readily via a major U.S. retail channel—even before some U.S. robotics firms deploy comparable products widely.

However, by the time the article published, the listing had already been removed. Walmart told the news outlet that the third-party seller had taken it down. The listing was under the vendor name Futurology, which also had listed a Unitree robotic dog on Walmart before removing that listing too (after briefly discounting it).