3 Things I Learned About Lakeshore Learning Orders (The Hard Way)

I’ve Made Every Mistake You Can Make With a Lakeshore Learning Order

I’ve been handling supply orders for a K–8 school for about three years now. And I’ve made—and documented—every single rookie error in the book. This isn’t a theoretical guide. This is my checklist, born from about $2,800 in wasted budget and a lot of late-night spreadsheet staring.

But here’s the thing: the mistakes weren’t always the obvious ones. Sometimes the cheap option cost more. Sometimes the “rush” wasn’t worth it. Sometimes the mistake was just… not knowing what I didn’t know.

Let me walk you through three specific screw-ups that taught me more than any training video ever did.

Mistake #1: The “Cheap” Order That Wasn’t

It was September 2022. We needed new classroom rugs, some basic art supplies, and a few of those Lakeshore Learning projectors that teachers kept asking for. Nothing tricky.

I went with what I thought was the cheapest option. A smaller vendor, not Lakeshore, offering a “school discount” that seemed too good to pass up. The rugs arrived in three shipments over six weeks. The art supplies had one batch of markers that dried out within a month. The projector? It didn’t match the mounting system we already had. (This was back in 2022, before I knew to ask about mounting compatibility.)

Total cost of going “cheap”: $890 in replacement materials, plus a 1-week delay on an important classroom setup. The “budget” rugs cost me more in the end than just buying from Lakeshore directly. And the Lakeshore projector? I later learned they offered a free mounting kit with every order over $500. I missed that.

Lesson: The lowest quoted price is rarely the lowest total cost. Check for mounting kits, free shipping thresholds, and teacher discount programs before you click “buy.”

Mistake #2: The Rush Order Panic (and the Calculator Problem)

In March 2024, we had a last-minute art fair. Needed easels, paper rolls, and a bunch of those paper folding templates for a kids’ activity station. (Yes, the “how to make a paper airplane from A4 paper” template.) I was calm. I’d done rush orders before.

But I made a basic error: I forgot to check the shipping timeline on one item. The easels arrived in two days (fine). The paper rolls took five (okay). But the paper airplane templates? They were back-ordered. I hadn’t noticed. The activity station had to be redesigned 48 hours before the event.

Here’s where the “no tax on overtime calculator” and the “CRCL calculator” come in. I remember staring at the overtime calculator that week, trying to figure out if it was cheaper to pay a teacher to prep a backup activity or pay the rush fee for a replacement order. The overtime calculator told me the teacher’s extra hour cost $45. The rush fee was $60. (Based on the Lakeshore Learning site pricing as of March 2024; verify current rates.) So we paid the teacher. But the real cost was the stress, the last-minute scramble, and one very disappointed art teacher.

Lesson: When you’re on a tight deadline, don’t just look at the rush fee. Look at the real cost of missing the deadline—staff overtime, last-minute supply runs, and your own sanity. The overtime calculator isn’t just for payroll; it’s for opportunity cost.

Mistake #3: The One-Size-Fits-All Assumption

This one still stings. I’d been buying from Lakeshore Learning for two years. I thought I knew their product line. So when a new teacher asked for “classroom furniture,” I just ordered what I’d always ordered: the standard tables, the standard chairs, the standard storage bins. (I’d convinced myself that one size fits most classrooms. It doesn’t.)

The furniture arrived. It was fine. But the teacher hated it. She wanted taller tables for standing work, different chair heights for her special needs students, and bins that stacked differently. Nothing wrong with my order—just wrong for her room.

Cost of redoing the order: $450 in restocking fees, plus a 10-day delay while the new furniture shipped. The teacher was patient, but I felt like an idiot.

Lesson: Never assume. Even if you’ve ordered the same product 50 times, ask the person who will use it what they actually need. A quick email or a 5-minute conversation can save hundreds of dollars and a lot of frustration.

How to Know if You’re in the Wrong Scenario

I’ve learned to ask myself three questions before any large Lakeshore Learning order:

1. Am I in a time crunch? If so, prioritize vendors with guaranteed delivery (Lakeshore is solid for standard items, but check stock availability before assuming). Pay the rush fee if you must—it’s cheaper than last-minute scrambling.
2. Am I buying for a specific person or a generic classroom? Specific person? Ask them. Generic classroom? Go with standard sizes, but add a note offering alternatives.
3. Is this my first time ordering this item? If yes, check the specs. Check the reviews. Check the compatibility with existing equipment. Don’t assume.

And don’t forget the calculators. The no tax on overtime calculator can help you decide whether to pay overtime or rush fees. The CRCL calculator (for chemical residue limits? Or for cost/risk/cost-of-living?) can help you estimate the true cost of a delayed or wrong order. (I use them both before every big purchase now.)

My Current Pre-Order Checklist (for Lakeshore Learning)

After the mistakes, I now run through this list:

• Check if the item qualifies for the teacher discount (Lakeshore has a dedicated program).
• Verify the mounting/installation specs if it’s a projector or furniture.
• Confirm the shipping timeline and whether it’s in stock.
• Calculate the total cost—including potential rush fees, restocking fees (if it’s wrong), and teacher prep time.
• Ask the end user: “Is this what you actually wanted?” (Yes, every time.)

I’ve been using this checklist for about 18 months. In that time, I’ve caught 47 potential errors before they became real problems. That’s 47 headaches I avoided. And sure, my checklist isn’t perfect—but it’s a lot better than the alternative: another $890 mistake.

If you’re new to ordering from Lakeshore Learning (or any classroom supply vendor), take this advice: assume nothing, verify everything, and budget for the unexpected. Your budget—and your teachers—will thank you.