A US judge has dismissed part of a lawsuit filed by a number of luxury brands including Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent accusing Chinese e-commerce group Alibaba of promoting the sale of counterfeit goods.

It ruled that there were not enough facts presented to sustain their claims.

The lawsuit stated that the firm and 14 other companies selling fake goods through the site's marketplaces, which include Aliexpress, had formed a cartel-style operation to sell these items. Examples included a knock-off of a $1,250 Gucci bag listed for $18.99.

The court ruled that there was not clear evidence presented to show that these actors were aware of each other's operations, or that Alibaba was involved in any form of collusion with them.

"The fraud perpetrated by each merchant defendant could be accomplished without any assistance from any other merchant defendant," it said.

Alibaba issued a statement welcoming the court's decision. It has also reiterated its commitment to stopping the sale of fake goods.

The site faces a number of other lawsuits related to the sale of imitation goods.