Smarter Fulfillment Solutions for Growing Education Brands

The educational landscape is evolving rapidly, with more families and educators turning to at-home learning solutions like educational books, toys, games, and activity kits. This surge in demand isn’t just impacting direct-to-consumer sales. It’s also driving growth in B2B fulfillment, as big-box retailers and smaller specialty stores expand their educational product offerings. Whether fueled by the rise of homeschooling, increased parental involvement, or the push for hands-on, screen-free learning, one thing is clear: education companies need scalable, efficient fulfillment solutions to keep up with demand while ensuring a seamless experience for both individual customers and retail partners.

At PBD Worldwide, we have almost 50 years of experience fulfilling educational materials. We specialize in seamless fulfillment solutions designed for educational publishers, learning resource providers, and toy brands - helping them reduce costs, streamline operations, and deliver a best-in-class customer experience.

Increased Demand for At-Home Learning Products Continues to Grow

Several factors are fueling the increase in educational product sales:

• Expanding Homeschool & Hybrid Learning Communities – According to Financial Times, homeschooling has grown nearly 50% in the past decade, leading to a surge in demand for structured, high-quality learning materials.
• Strong Retail & B2B Growth – As consumer demand increase, large retailers, mom and pop stores, libraries and school districts continue to invest heavily in educational materials, creating an increased need for bulk fulfillment and B2B expertise to manage large, complex orders.
• Increased Spending on Educational Materials – GlobeNewswire stated in a recent report that the size of the K-12 instructional supplemental materials market is estimated to be $4.62 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow to $4.98 billion in 2026.
• The Rise of Subscription Learning Models – Parents and educators increasingly turn to monthly subscription boxes for interactive, at-home learning. Brands offering curated kits of books, STEM activities, and learning games need a fulfillment partner that ensures timely, accurate deliveries every month.

With this surge in demand, the biggest challenge educational brands face is scaling efficiently while keeping fulfillment operations smooth and cost-effective. That’s where PBD comes in.

How PBD Worldwide Supports Educational Brands

At PBD Worldwide, we specialize in fulfillment solutions tailored to educational publishers, toy companies, and learning resource providers. Our expertise helps brands meet increased demand while optimizing logistics and reducing costs. Here’s how we do it:

1. Faster, Cost-Effective Shipping with Freight Savings

Shipping costs can quickly eat into profits, especially when sending heavy books, bulky subscription kits and large toys and games. PBD’s established relationships with major carriers allow us to offer deep freight discounts, with our partners saving an average of 20% on shipping when they switch to PBD. With five fulfillment centers across the U.S., we help reduce transit times and shipping costs by strategically positioning inventory closer to customers. PBD has fulfillment centers located in Atlanta (2), Chicago, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.

We go beyond standard pick, pack and ship fulfillment operations. Our freight brokerage division, Freight Scouts, gives our partners access to even more savings and efficiency. Freight Scouts specializes in negotiating the best LTL and FTL shipping rates, optimizing routes, and reducing transit times. Many fulfillment companies don’t offer an in-house freight brokerage service, meaning you’d have to source and negotiate freight rates separately. With PBD, everything is handled under one roof, making your shipping strategy more cost-effective and seamless.

2. Smart Technology for Seamless Inventory & Order Management

Managing inventory across multiple sales channels can be overwhelming. PBD’s advanced warehouse management system (WMS) provides real-time visibility into inventory, orders, and shipping performance, so you can make data-driven decisions and avoid out of stock/backorders. Whether selling direct-to-consumer (DTC) or through retail partners, our technology ensures smooth operations.

In addition, one of the biggest concerns for growing brands is how quickly a fulfillment partner can integrate with their existing operations. At PBD, we make the transition fast and stress-free. We offer seamless API & EDI integrations with Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce & over 100 other platforms. Our technology and established integrations allow for a quick go lives with minimal disruption to your business. We take the heavy lifting off your plate, so you can focus on growing your brand, not worrying about logistics.

3. B2B Fulfillment & Bulk Order Management

Many educational brands sell directly to big box retailers, smaller specialty shops, schools and libraries, requiring specialized B2B fulfillment capabilities. PBD is equipped to handle:

• Large-volume bulk shipments to schools & institutions
• Retail & wholesale fulfillment for major distributors as well as smaller shops
• Custom labeling & compliance requirements for different sales channels

With our extensive experience in education logistics, we ensure fast, accurate delivery of classroom kits, curriculum materials, and educational tools, helping brands manage large orders without logistical headaches.

4. Subscription Management & Fulfillment

Managing recurring subscription orders requires precision, flexibility, and reliability. PBD ensures that monthly learning kits, book boxes, and activity packs reach customers on time, every time. Our subscription fulfillment services include:

• Automated order processing to ensure timely shipments
• Custom kitting & packaging for a standout unboxing experience
• Scalable solutions that grow with your subscriber base

Whether you ship hundreds or thousands of boxes per month, PBD has the expertise and technology to handle subscription fulfillment seamlessly.

5. Comprehensive, Dedicated Support & Scalable Solutions

At PBD, we don’t just fulfill orders, we view ourselves as an extension of your team. Our hands-on approach means you’re never left navigating fulfillment challenges alone.

• Dedicated Support Rep: Every PBD partner is assigned a dedicated account manager—your single point of contact for everything from onboarding to ongoing optimization. Unlike many fulfillment providers that route inquiries through generic customer service lines, our team offers personalized, responsive support to keep your operations running smoothly.
• Proactive Partnership: We go beyond basic fulfillment by offering data-driven recommendations to optimize inventory management, improve shipping efficiency, and enhance your customers' experience. Whether you're scaling your subscription program, expanding B2B fulfillment, or optimizing freight strategy, our team is with you every step of the way.
• No One-Size-Fits-All Approach: We understand that every business has unique fulfillment needs. Our flexible, customized solutions are built to grow with you. Whether you're shipping thousands of individual orders or managing wholesale distribution, we adapt to your specific requirements.

We also offer a variety of VAS services, including labeling, bagging or re-bagging, wrapping items, gift wrap, bundling, marketing inserts and more. We handle returns across various product categories. Our custom solutions make returns and exchanges as efficient and cost-effective as possible, providing a smooth experience for both you and your customers. 

With nearly 50 years of experience handling the fulfillment of educational products, PBD understands the unique challenges that learning companies face. Whether you're scaling your direct-to-consumer sales, managing B2B orders for schools and retailers, or launching a subscription-based learning program, our seamless fulfillment solutions ensure your products reach customers quickly and efficiently. From cost-saving freight solutions to real-time inventory tracking and dedicated support, we provide the tools and expertise to help your brand grow. Let PBD be your trusted fulfillment partner, so you can focus on what matters most - creating impactful learning experiences!

Ready to optimize your fulfillment operations and scale your brand? Contact us today!