If you want feedback on your product, don't you think an "Ask HN: Please Review" is more appropriate than derailing this thread? And it's clearly self-promoting, despite the "I don't mean to self-promote..." disclaimer.
Self promotion is fine. If you don't believe in what you do, who else will? One shouldn't be annoying or inappropriate about it, but his comment was neither and if you look at his comment history, it's not like he's spamming the site with links.
I think self-promotion is fine too. In the appropriate place. And I suggested a more appropriate place. I was merely expressing the reasoning behind downvoting a comment like that.
Except that every comment below yours doesn't relate at all to the original post, which says something. There's nothing in the original post about the layout and usability of Zappos's shoe collection view or search results layout. The letter's complaint seems to be with the usability of the main landing page. And beyond that you didn't ask for a comparison of your product with Zappos, you asked for feedback on yours. Seems like a clear hijack to me, even if you didn't intend it.
