diff --git a/src/pretix/base/settings.py b/src/pretix/base/settings.py
index 5871721317..cd416eeabf 100644
--- a/src/pretix/base/settings.py
+++ b/src/pretix/base/settings.py
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@ DEFAULTS = {
         'default': 'False',
         'type': bool
     },
+    'show_variations_expanded': {
+        'default': 'False',
+        'type': bool
+    },
     'ticket_download': {
         'default': 'False',
         'type': bool
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/forms/event.py b/src/pretix/control/forms/event.py
index 0a19d81b48..22756a48ea 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/forms/event.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/forms/event.py
@@ -499,6 +499,10 @@ class DisplaySettingsForm(SettingsForm):
         required=False,
         widget=I18nTextarea
     )
+    show_variations_expanded = forms.BooleanField(
+        label=_("Show variations of a product expanded by default"),
+        required=False
+    )
 
 
 class TicketSettingsForm(SettingsForm):
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/event/display.html b/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/event/display.html
index 0869e289c9..a62b48622f 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/event/display.html
+++ b/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/event/display.html
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
             {% bootstrap_field form.primary_color layout="horizontal" %}
             {% bootstrap_field form.logo_image layout="horizontal" %}
             {% bootstrap_field form.frontpage_text layout="horizontal" %}
+            {% bootstrap_field form.show_variations_expanded layout="horizontal" %}
         </fieldset>
         <div class="form-group submit-group">
             <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary btn-save">
diff --git a/src/pretix/presale/templates/pretixpresale/event/index.html b/src/pretix/presale/templates/pretixpresale/event/index.html
index 80d6586fde..4559c9064c 100644
--- a/src/pretix/presale/templates/pretixpresale/event/index.html
+++ b/src/pretix/presale/templates/pretixpresale/event/index.html
@@ -113,13 +113,15 @@
                                         {% endif %}
                                     </div>
                                     <div class="col-md-2 col-xs-6 availability-box">
-                                        <a href="#" data-toggle="variations" class="js-only">
-                                            {% trans "Show variants" %}
-                                        </a>
+                                        {% if not event.settings.show_variations_expanded %}
+                                            <a href="#" data-toggle="variations" class="js-only">
+                                                {% trans "Show variants" %}
+                                            </a>
+                                        {% endif %}
                                     </div>
                                     <div class="clearfix"></div>
                                 </div>
-                                <div class="variations">
+                                <div class="variations {% if not event.settings.show_variations_expanded %}variations-collapsed{% endif %}">
                                     {% for var in item.available_variations %}
                                         <div class="row-fluid product-row variation">
                                             <div class="col-md-8 col-xs-12">
diff --git a/src/pretix/static/pretixpresale/js/ui/main.js b/src/pretix/static/pretixpresale/js/ui/main.js
index 388e6079f7..7ea07aadd8 100644
--- a/src/pretix/static/pretixpresale/js/ui/main.js
+++ b/src/pretix/static/pretixpresale/js/ui/main.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ $(function () {
         $($(this).attr("data-target")).collapse('show');
     });
     $(".js-only").removeClass("js-only");
-    $(".variations").hide();
+    $(".variations-collapsed").hide();
     $("a[data-toggle=variations]").click(function (e) {
         $(this).parent().parent().parent().find(".variations").slideToggle();
         e.preventDefault();