Rapidly-growing Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi is taking its tentative first steps into the US market with an online store – but will not sell its handsets.

Instead, Xiaomi, which last year overtook Samsung to become the biggest smartphone seller in China, will use the Mi.com store to offer other gadgets and accessories such as headphones.

Xiaomi claimed a number of reasons prevented it from being able to launch its full range of devices, including “hardware localisation” and “certification”.

However, many industry commentators believe the brand is being held back by potential challenges over its patents. In December, Xiaomi products were banned from sale in India over a patent infringement claim made by Swedish telecoms company Ericsson.

The firm’s international vice-president Hugo Barra told The Verge: “The US consumer is probably the most demanding consumer, with the highest quality bar and the most informed opinions of anyone anywhere in the world.”

“Part of the reason why we want to be here is because we want to enter that feedback loop. We want to hear what people think about our products, we want to get feedback and improve our products everywhere [they are sold].”

Xiaomi, the world’s third-biggest smartphone maker by volume, recently reported triple-figure revenue growth in 2014. It said it plans to enter “event more overseas markets” over the coming 12 months.