The manufacturers store it that way in storage for years and so can
you.

I don't see a problem with long-term storage like this, unless it's
humid and the rings rust in the bore (the bearings should have been
factory-installed with a grease-like lubricant). You can help protect
the rings by removing the spark plug and spraying some WD-40 in there
every year. Then with the spark plug still out, bump the starter for
half a second or give the cord one pull.

But, I'd rather run it and know that it works. I highly recommend the
use of Sta-Bil. There are two schools of thought for small engine
storage: let it run out of gas, or, keep the tank topped off. The guys
who recommend leaving it topped off do it so moisture can't condense
in the fuel tank. The guys who recommend running it dry do it so that
there's no fuel to evaporate and turn to sludge. Shouldn't really
matter much if you use Sta-Bil.