Recently, ShopRunner a private shipping company owned by Michael Rubin, sold minority stakes to Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group.

Scott Thompson, ShopRunner Chief Executive Officer and former Yahoo Chief Executive, will once again work with his previous associates since a quarter of Alibaba shares are owned by Yahoo.

Worth USD 75 million,  ShopRunner is among the latest acquisitions of the Alibaba group in its string of new ventures by the world's largest e-commerce group. A calculated move by Alibaba as it makes arrangements for its imminent Initial Public Offering (IPO), according to the Financial Times' anonymous sources. 

With regards to the company's IPO, Alibaba said that no final preparations have been made as to where it will be listing its shares. Reports from the Financial Times state bankers speculate that the IPO might take place in Hong Kong. 

Representatives for Alibaba and ShopRunner declined to make any statement regarding transaction.