WABU vs Outlandish: Live Commerce Agency Comparison (2026)
If you're choosing between WABU and Outlandish to run your TikTok Shop and live commerce program, you're looking at two of the more direct competitors in U.S. live shopping — both full-service operators rather than influencer-campaign shops. This comparison breaks down how they differ on services, geography, creator networks, and pricing, so you can decide which fits your brand.
Key takeaways
- Both are full-service US live shopping operators rather than influencer-campaign shops.
- Outlandish adds a West Coast physical retail and studio experience, and has added TikTok Shop partnerships in Mexico and Brazil.
- WABU is remote-first with a Hispanic/LATAM vertical and published pricing.
Table of Contents
- At a glance
- Company background
- Services compared
- Geography and markets
- What changed in 2026
- Pricing and model
- Where WABU stands out
- When Outlandish might be the better fit
- Sources
At a glance
| WABU | Outlandish | |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Miami, FL | Santa Monica, CA |
| Founded | — | 2018 |
| Core model | Full-service live commerce, run end to end | Live shopping & social commerce; certified TikTok Shop Partner |
| Distinctive feature | Dedicated Hispanic & LATAM vertical | Physical flagship store + livestream studio (20+ bookable booths) |
| Markets | US + LATAM (Mexico, Colombia, Brazil) | US, plus Mexico and Brazil via a MindgruveMacarta partnership; Spain, Europe, and Asia stated as plans |
| Creator network | Reports 4,800+ active creators | Not publicly specified |
| Live production & moderation | Yes | Yes (in-store and virtual) |
| Real-time attribution → payouts | Yes | Not publicly specified |
| Hispanic / Spanish-first focus | Yes, a core vertical | Cross-border LATAM entry (Mexico/Brazil), not a dedicated US-Hispanic vertical |
| Pricing | Published tiers: retainer + % of sales; in-store live from $500/hr | Not publicly disclosed |
Company background
WABU is a Miami-based live commerce agency that runs the full TikTok Shop operation for brands — creator sourcing, livestream selling, shoppable content, and payouts. WABU operates two verticals, a general U.S. market and a dedicated Hispanic & Latin American practice, and reports $24M+ in GMV driven across markets in 2025 and a 340% average GMV lift versus organic.
Outlandish is a live shopping and social commerce company founded in 2018 by CEO William August and a certified TikTok Shop Partner. In November 2024 it opened a flagship store on Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade that blends livestreamed social shopping with in-person retail — shoppers can buy TikTok Shop products in store while creators broadcast live from the floor. The space has more than 20 livestreaming booths that brands can rent by the hour, and brands such as Crocs have used it. At launch, Outlandish said live shopping had driven at least 10% of its partner brands' revenue over the prior year (self-reported).
Services compared
Both run end-to-end programs, but with different centers of gravity.
WABU's services: creator sourcing and matching through a portal, weekly live sessions and shoppable video, dedicated moderators and pre-live checklists, sample fulfillment at scale, branded landing pages, and a real-time attribution dashboard that feeds directly into creator payouts.
Outlandish's services: LIVE management, production and training, creator matchmaking (acting as the bridge between shops and creators, including payment handling), video production, ads, and shop strategy — plus hourly booth rental, in-store broadcasting, and creator classes on live shopping and content creation run from its Santa Monica headquarters. In its LATAM markets, it adds compliance, logistics, fulfillment, and localized content through its partner.
The biggest structural difference: Outlandish layers a physical retail + studio experience onto its offering, while WABU is a fully remote operation built around its Miami hub and attribution technology.
Geography and markets
WABU is built around the U.S. and Latin America, explicitly serving cross-border expansion into Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil, with a Hispanic and Spanish-first creator network for the U.S. Hispanic audience.
Outlandish is U.S.-based (West Coast) and has moved into Latin America through MindgruveMacarta, a performance marketing and retail media firm: a Mexico partnership announced in February 2025 and a Brazil partnership in May 2025 ahead of TikTok Shop's Brazil launch. It has also named Spain, Europe, and Asia as expansion plans.
If your priority is the U.S. Hispanic audience and LATAM cross-border, WABU's vertical is purpose-built for it. If you value a West Coast physical presence or an in-store activation component, Outlandish offers something WABU doesn't.
What changed in 2026
Outlandish's Santa Monica studio is still operating as a live selling hub. An October 2026 Los Angeles Times feature describes hosts in front of cameras selling products from brands such as Samsung and Samsonite on TikTok, with walk-in shoppers able to buy the same items. Its LATAM footprint now overlaps more with WABU's, since both companies serve Mexico and Brazil. The difference is in delivery: Outlandish works through a partner, while WABU runs its own Hispanic/LATAM vertical.
Pricing and model
WABU publishes its structure: an In-Store Live option from $500/hour plus a percentage of gross sales; a tiered monthly Content Network plan plus a percentage of gross sales; and a custom, performance-based Shop Management tier. The common thread is a retainer-plus-revenue-share model designed so WABU scales when the brand does.
Outlandish does not publicly disclose pricing beyond hourly booth rental; brands would need to request a quote. Because models vary widely in this space, confirm directly whether their structure is retainer-based, performance-based, or a hybrid before comparing.
Where WABU stands out
- Dedicated Hispanic & LATAM vertical — bilingual and Spanish-first creators and cross-border entry, not a general-market program with translation added.
- Transparent, published pricing — a starting point most competitors don't offer publicly.
- Attribution that feeds payouts — real-time, creator-level revenue tracking with minimal manual work.
- Miami hub — geographically and culturally positioned for both U.S. general-market and Hispanic/LATAM audiences.
When Outlandish might be the better fit
In fairness, Outlandish could be the stronger choice if you want an in-person, experiential retail component (its Santa Monica flagship and in-store live broadcasts are genuinely differentiated), if you're West Coast and want a studio you can book by the hour, or if you specifically want to work with one of the earliest certified TikTok Shop Partners in the U.S. The right answer depends on whether physical activation or a Hispanic/LATAM-first live commerce engine matters more to your brand.
Sources
- PR Newswire — Outlandish opens Santa Monica flagship (Nov 2024)
- Path to Purchase Institute — Outlandish flagship store
- Chain Store Age — Outlandish store opening
- The Astorian (press release) — Outlandish and MindgruveMacarta in Mexico (Feb 2025)
- Santa Monica Daily Press — Outlandish taps Brazil market (May 2025)
- Los Angeles Times via News Tribune — "This startup made shopping into spectator sport" (Oct 2026)
- Outlandish TikTok Shop Partner profile
- Outlandish on LinkedIn
- WABU — wabulive.com (self-reported figures and pricing)
Competitor details reflect public information as of October 2026. Outlandish pricing is not publicly disclosed. WABU figures are self-reported. Verify directly before relying on any detail. Neither company is endorsed by or affiliated with TikTok Inc.
Want to see how WABU would run your program? Book a strategy session or explore the Hispanic & LATAM vertical.
Frequently asked questions
What's the main difference between WABU and Outlandish?
WABU is a Miami-based full-service live commerce operator with a dedicated Hispanic & LATAM vertical and published pricing. Outlandish is a Santa Monica–based live shopping company founded in 2018. Its main differentiator is a physical flagship store on the Third Street Promenade, where creators livestream TikTok Shop sales from more than 20 bookable booths.
Do both work with TikTok Shop?
Yes. Both run TikTok Shop programs, including live selling and creator management. Outlandish describes itself as a certified TikTok Shop Partner, and in 2026 its Santa Monica studio was still selling brands such as Samsung and Samsonite on TikTok. Confirm each agency's current partner status in TikTok's partner directory before signing.
Which is better for reaching US Hispanic shoppers?
WABU operates a dedicated Hispanic and Latin American vertical with bilingual and Spanish-first creators. Outlandish entered Mexico and Brazil in 2025 through a partnership with MindgruveMacarta, but it does not publicly position a dedicated U.S.-Hispanic vertical. For U.S. Hispanic shoppers specifically, WABU's focus is more direct.
How much do they cost?
WABU publishes tiered pricing: a retainer plus a percentage of sales, with in-store live from $500 an hour. Outlandish rents its livestream booths by the hour but does not publicly disclose agency pricing, so request a quote. Ask whether its fee is retainer-based, performance-based, or a hybrid before comparing the two.
Where does Outlandish operate outside the US?
Outlandish announced a Mexico partnership with MindgruveMacarta in February 2025 and a Brazil partnership in May 2025, ahead of TikTok Shop's Brazil launch. The partner adds compliance, logistics, fulfillment, and localized content. Outlandish has also named Spain, Europe, and Asia as expansion plans, but public detail on those markets is limited.