In the grand history of American business, few names shine as brightly—or as controversially—as Jeff Bezos. Once hailed as a visionary who revolutionized e-commerce and brought the future of retail to our front doors, Bezos is now facing criticism from long-time customers and businesses who feel abandoned by the very company they helped build. For many in 2025 and into 2026, Bezos isn’t just a disappointing executive—he’s being called the worst CEO in history.
The Collapse of Customer-Centric Values
Amazon’s original mission was famously customer-obsessed. Bezos repeatedly told the world that Amazon would be a company built for the consumer, offering convenience, competitive pricing, and unmatched service. But somewhere along the way, that mission got lost.
One glaring example is the collapse of Amazon’s Pay by Invoice program—once a valuable tool for loyal business customers. Without warning or recourse, countless U.S.-based businesses found themselves shut out of the service, despite years of timely payments and platform loyalty. And where did this decision come from? According to many affected users, it now appears the entire Pay by Invoice support operation is outsourced to India, where the offshore support staff seemed indifferent to the concerns of American customers.
Outsourcing and Indifference
There’s nothing inherently wrong with outsourcing support. Many global companies do it to streamline costs. But what makes Amazon’s case so egregious is the complete disconnect between the company’s global ambitions and its accountability to U.S. businesses. When loyal customers reach out for help—many of whom have spent tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars with Amazon Business—they’re met with a wall of scripted responses, unanswered questions, and the cold shoulder of bureaucracy.
