From a Bag Stand in Connecticut to a 40,000 Square Foot Warehouse in New Jersey: Ali Dayı's Entrepreneurial Journey

A Life That Began With a Bag Stand in Connecticut
While studying Business Administration in English, Dayı came to the U.S. and started his journey selling handbags at a mall. He later converted his J-1 student visa to an F-1 and lived in Connecticut for a long time. In 2009, he received his Green Card and completed his master’s degree at Southern Connecticut State University. During that time, while working as a waiter, he sought a different career path and began working at a marble and granite company in New Jersey.

Soon after, he returned to Turkey at his family's request, but unable to adapt, he came back to the U.S. with his wife just a few months later. In 2011, he resettled in New Jersey and worked in the marble and carpet industries. In 2012, he managed the U.S. operations of Rug Sultan, a large carpet manufacturer based in Gaziantep.

An eBay Venture That Began With Slippers
His entrepreneurial journey began in 2013, selling disposable slippers produced by a factory in Isparta on eBay and Amazon. He imported the slippers by container and focused on online sales, but when the expected growth didn’t materialize, he discovered the dropshipping model. He started listing products from retail giants like Costco, BJ’s, and Target on eBay and Amazon. In 2015, he developed an automation system to scale operations. At a time when AI was not widely known, he led his sector by automating processes. By 2018, his annual revenue had reached $35 million.

Tommy Bahama Chairs and Warehouse Expansion
When platforms started restricting dropshipping, he pivoted his business model. In 2016, he discovered Tommy Bahama beach chairs at Costco and achieved significant success by selling thousands of them on Amazon and eBay. In 2017, he opened his first 7,000 sq ft warehouse. Due to increasing demand, he moved to his current 40,000 sq ft facility in 2018. At one point, he was shipping 3–4 truckloads a day to the post office. However, restrictions from Amazon, rising fees, and counterfeit products from China led him to exit the chair business.

Today’s Structure: A Strong Bridge from Turkey to the U.S.
Operating under the brands AD International Trading and Ship Dayı 3PL, Ali Dayı is now the first point of contact in the U.S. for manufacturers and brands coming from Turkey. He provides storage and fulfillment services for companies in various industries—including food, textiles, spices, nuts, and carpets—selling on platforms such as Amazon, Walmart, and Target. While his Turkey office offers technical support, his U.S. warehouse handles product intake, labeling, shipping, and logistics tracking. Thanks to his entrepreneurial spirit and solution-oriented approach, he has played a role in the success stories of many Turkish brands in the U.S.

Future Plans
Ali Dayı aims to increase the visibility of Turkish brands in the U.S. in the future. He plans to expand his logistics infrastructure, further automate processes with next-generation technologies, and open branches in different states to grow his service network.