WABU vs The Social Shepherd: Agency Comparison (2026)
WABU and The Social Shepherd both run TikTok Shop programs and — notably — both have a Miami presence, so brands in the region often weigh them against each other. The key distinction is focus: WABU is a live-commerce specialist with a Hispanic/LATAM vertical, while The Social Shepherd is a broader, multi-award-winning social agency that includes TikTok Shop among a wider service set.
Key takeaways
- Both have a Miami presence; the real difference is breadth versus depth.
- The Social Shepherd is a full-service social agency with offices in London, Bath, New York, and Miami.
- WABU is a live commerce specialist with a dedicated Hispanic/LATAM vertical.
Table of Contents
- At a glance
- Company background
- Services compared
- Geography and markets
- Pricing and model
- Where WABU stands out
- When The Social Shepherd might be the better fit
- Sources
At a glance
| WABU | The Social Shepherd | |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Miami, FL (US) | UK-founded (Bath, 2018); offices in London, Bath, New York, and Miami |
| Core focus | Live commerce / TikTok Shop specialist | Full-service social agency (TikTok Shop is one service) |
| Services | Creator sourcing, live, shoppable video, payouts, attribution | TikTok Shop strategy and optimization, creator affiliates, content and LIVEs, TikTok ads incl. GMV Max; plus organic/influencer/paid social |
| Notable clients | Reports work with major brands incl. Macy's, Samsung, Coty | UNIQLO, BARK, Beyblade, ASICS, Bio-Oil |
| Hispanic / LATAM vertical | Yes, dedicated | Not a stated specialization |
| Markets | US + LATAM (Mexico, Colombia, Brazil) | US + UK (global B2C clients) |
| Pricing | Published tiers: retainer + % of sales | Not publicly disclosed |
Company background
WABU is a Miami-based live commerce agency running TikTok Shop end to end across a general U.S. market vertical and a dedicated Hispanic & Latin American vertical, reporting $24M+ in 2025 GMV.
The Social Shepherd is a multi-award-winning social media agency founded in Bath, UK, in 2018 by Jack Shepherd and Zoe Stephenson, with offices in London, Bath, New York, and Miami. It won Best Large Social Media Agency at the UK Social Media Awards in 2023 and 2024, and Social Media Agency of the Year (Large) at the UK Agency Awards in October 2025, where judges also noted 29.5% year-over-year growth in its UK team. Its TikTok Shop offering covers strategy, product optimization, creator affiliates, TikTok ads, LIVEs, and content for B2C commerce brands, alongside a broader practice spanning organic, influencer, and paid social. Its named clients include UNIQLO, BARK, Beyblade, ASICS, and Bio-Oil.
Services compared
The core difference is breadth versus depth.
The Social Shepherd is a full-service social agency — TikTok Shop sits within a wider portfolio that includes organic social, influencer marketing, paid social and search, and creative production across platforms. Its TikTok Shop service covers shop and product strategy (bundling, compliance, search optimization), creator affiliate recruitment and programs, trend-led and UGC content with "conversion-led Live strategies," and TikTok ads, including GMV Max campaigns and MMM analytics. That's valuable if you want one partner for all of social, not just live commerce.
WABU is a live-commerce specialist — its entire operation is built around running TikTok Shop and live selling, with a real-time attribution dashboard feeding payouts, sample fulfillment, moderated live sessions, branded landing pages, and a Hispanic/LATAM creator network.
Choose based on scope: a single partner for all of social (Social Shepherd) versus a dedicated live commerce engine (WABU).
Geography and markets
Both have a Miami presence, so local brands may consider either; The Social Shepherd's Miami office is in Wynwood. Beyond that, The Social Shepherd spans the U.S. and UK with global B2C clients, while WABU extends into Latin America (Mexico, Colombia, Brazil) and operates a Hispanic, Spanish-first creator network.
For U.S. Hispanic and LATAM reach, WABU is purpose-built. For U.S. + UK social breadth, The Social Shepherd has the footprint.
Pricing and model
WABU publishes tiered pricing — In-Store Live from $500/hour plus a percentage of gross sales, a tiered monthly Content Network plan plus a percentage of sales, and a custom performance-based Shop Management tier.
The Social Shepherd does not publicly disclose pricing; as a full-service agency, engagements are typically scoped per project or retainer. Request a quote and clarify whether TikTok Shop can be engaged standalone or only as part of a broader social retainer.
Where WABU stands out
- Specialization — WABU does live commerce as its whole business, not one line item.
- Hispanic & LATAM vertical — dedicated bilingual and Spanish-first creators.
- Published pricing — including a lower-commitment hourly in-store option.
- Attribution that feeds payouts — real-time and creator-level.
When The Social Shepherd might be the better fit
The Social Shepherd is likely the better choice if you want one agency for all of social — organic, influencer, and paid alongside TikTok Shop — rather than a live-commerce specialist; if you value its multi-award-winning track record and recognizable B2C clients such as UNIQLO and ASICS; or if your priority markets are U.S. and UK rather than LATAM. Brands wanting integrated cross-platform social strategy, including GMV Max and paid search, may prefer its breadth.
Sources
- The Social Shepherd — official site (offices, services, clients)
- The Social Shepherd — TikTok Shop service page
- The Social Shepherd — "Top TikTok Shop Agencies in the US" (company profile and services)
- UK Social Media Awards — The Social Shepherd wins Best Large Social Media Agency (2023)
- UK Agency Awards — The Social Shepherd wins Social Media Agency of the Year, Large (Oct 2025)
- WABU — wabulive.com (self-reported figures and pricing)
The Social Shepherd details reflect its public materials as of October 2026; pricing is not publicly disclosed. WABU figures are self-reported. Verify directly before relying on any detail.
Want a partner focused entirely on live commerce? Book a strategy session with WABU or explore the Hispanic & LATAM vertical.
Frequently asked questions
What's the main difference between WABU and The Social Shepherd?
WABU is a live-commerce specialist with a dedicated Hispanic & LATAM vertical and published pricing. The Social Shepherd is a full-service social agency, founded in the UK in 2018, where TikTok Shop is one of several services alongside organic, influencer, and paid social. It has offices in London, Bath, New York, and Miami.
They both have Miami teams — does location matter?
Both maintain a Miami presence, and The Social Shepherd's office is in Wynwood, so local brands can meet either team in person. The deeper differentiator is specialization and audience reach: WABU focuses on live commerce and Hispanic/LATAM markets, while The Social Shepherd covers all of social across the U.S. and UK.
Which is better if I only want TikTok Shop / live commerce?
WABU, since its entire operation is built around live commerce. The Social Shepherd runs TikTok Shop strategy, creator affiliates, content with LIVE strategies, and GMV Max ads, so it may be preferable if you want TikTok Shop bundled with broader social and paid services. Ask whether it takes standalone TikTok Shop engagements.
Do they publish pricing?
WABU publishes tiered pricing: in-store live from $500 an hour plus a percentage of sales, a monthly Content Network plan, and a custom Shop Management tier. The Social Shepherd does not publicly disclose pricing. As a full-service agency, it typically scopes work per project or retainer, so request a quote.
What awards has The Social Shepherd won?
The Social Shepherd won Best Large Social Media Agency at the UK Social Media Awards in 2023 and 2024, and Social Media Agency of the Year (Large) at the UK Agency Awards in October 2025. Its site says it has won Best Large Social Agency three years in a row. These are UK social awards, not TikTok Shop-specific honors.