NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Alibaba (BABA) were higher in pre-market trading as U.S. and international trade groups are calling on the Chinese e-commerce giant to address the growing number of counterfeit products on its site.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association is considering adding the company to a list of marketplaces known to sell fake products, according to the Wall Street Journal. The U.S. trade group represents more than 1,000 brands.

The international groups, which include the Union des Fabricants and the French Federation of Leather Goods, said that while Alibaba has made a "number of concrete steps" in its efforts to address fake products, it hasn't delivered on several promises that could effectively reduce the number of counterfeit items on the site.

The markets may be unpredictable, but Jim Cramer can show you how to navigate it like a pro. Follow his blue-chip portfolio of stocks at Action Alerts PLUS. Join today and try it for 14 days—FREE!

For example, Alibaba's site is unable to detect images of fake products that are blurred, despite the site saying that it doesn't allow such images, the Journal noted.

In 2012, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) took Alibaba off of its list of sites notorious for selling counterfeit goods. But last year, the group said it had become "increasingly concerned" about the sale of fake products on Alibaba's platforms.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association has since lobbied for the USTR to put Alibaba back on its list. The USTR is expected to issue a report with a list of marketplaces by the end of 2016, the Journal added.

Separately, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles's author. TheStreet Ratings has this to say about the recommendation: