So, you want to start a retail business, but you're mindful of bootstrapping principles.

You would prefer to get some kind of cash flow going before you start spending on things like store front real estate, whether rented or purchased.

But how can a retailer get started selling a product without any retail space to sell it in?

Well, before you put your name on a lease and start spending money instead of making it, consider this much less expensive alternative with the possibility of growing into your own store when your revenue justifies it.

Yahoo! Merchant Solutions is offering two products, a starter plan and standard plan, both reasonably priced, that the company says will have you on line in minutes. (Remember, getting your store on line does not guarantee customers. You'll have to find ways to drive people to the site.)

The plans offer a variety of features and benefits, and some differences based on the one you choose. There's also a simple video tutorial to help you set up your store and features to help you manage orders.

You can look over a directory of affiliated developers that can help you take your web store to the next level and check out some samples of customer stores for some inspiration.

Another option for startup retailers is a collection of Microsoft products including a free basic service. I'll be posting on how I built a simple retail space using another free on line service in the near future...