"Making bows is very competitive right now. Everyone seems to be doing it," said Rojas.
She runs her business "I-Candy Sweet Shoppe" from her Clovis home. She says it was hard getting it off the ground. Until she created a Facebook page for her business.
Rojas said, "Once I put myself on Facebook, I created a fan page. People were very receptive. It was like, I felt like I had a place."
The orders from friends and friends of friends started pouring in. She then got the idea of doing "live" sales on Facebook. Unlike eBay, or the craft site "Etsy" ... the transactions are fee-free and immediate. There's no middleman. Monica just announces a time for the sale by posting it as a status update. All 218 fans of her page are notified.
"8 o'clock rolls around and they can get on the computer, which most people are on anyways. And they shop," said Rojas.
When the sale starts, it happens in real time.
"Facebook feels like you're right there with them," said Rojas. "Like the sale's actually going on in your own house. Facebook seems to be very hands on, it's personable. It's fun."
She posts a photo of each sale item, and buyers comment "me" if they want it. It's first come, first served.
From the buyer's perspective the live sale is fast-paced, like an auction. Except the price is set. You just need quick fingers to get what you want.
Lisa Alvey is the Social Media Manager for Fresno Pacific University. She says conducting business over Facebook definitely has its advantages.
"I believe that it has really leveled the playing field for businesses because so many of the tools are free. It doesn't take a whole lot to get involved with social media. Really you have so many people at your fingertips you can target," said Alvey.
But there are disadvantages as well.
"It is a little bit of the wild wild west still. It's kind of a no holds barred, you never know what you're gonna get," said Alvey. "You really have to be involved and start developing relationships with your clients."
But it's the relationships she develops at home -- Monica says that are the biggest benefits from doing business on Facebook.
