10 Dos and Don'ts for Online Retail Startups

Neblett shared those insights yesterday at a session at the Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition in Chicago. Here's a list of his five things bootstrapped e-commerce businesses should do, followed by five things they shouldn't do:

1. Focus on team and culture. Create an environment where your employees enjoy coming to work every day, Neblett said. This gets harder as your company grows from just a few employees to a larger group, but it's possible. For example, eTailz.com has no dress code for its workers, hosts weekly barbecues for employees in the summer, and often provides food and drinks in the office. And the best part about this strategy, according to Neblett — it's free to do (for the most part).