Alibaba Unveils U.S. E-Commerce Site

Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Ltd unveiled its first U.S. direct-to-consumer online shop, "inspired by the local Main Street shopping experience."

The website, 11main.com, which is currently in beta, will feature a wide range of products, including "one-of-a-kind items, not available at mass merchants and other large e-commerce sites," the company said.

The website displayed an "opening soon" message early on Wednesday. "Our shop owners are currently unpacking and getting settled," the site said. (http://r.reuters.com/kam99v)

The invitation-only marketplace will offer products in a variety of categories such as fashion and style, home and outdoor, and jewelry and watches.

Reuters reported in February that Alibaba was set to launch a U.S. e-commerce website.

Alibaba's planned U.S. initial public offering has stirred the most excitement on Wall Street since Facebook's record IPO in 2012. Alibaba will become the largest Chinese company to list in the United States.