Accounts Payable Current Merchandise payables Accounts Payable [Member] Accounts Payable Accounts Payable Related Parties Current Intercompany payables Accounts Receivable [Member] Accounts Receivable Accounts Receivable Net Current Accounts receivable Accounts Receivable Related Parties Current Intercompany receivables Accretion Expense Accretion of lease obligations at net present value Accrual For Taxes Other Than Income Taxes Current Other taxes Accumulated Depreciation Depletion And Amortization Property Plant And Equipment Less accumulated depreciation and amortization Changes to amount of the change in the additional pension liability not yet recognized pursuant to SFAS 87 par 37 and 38 as a net periodic pension cost. If the additional pension liability required to be recognized exceeds the unrecognized prior service costs, then the excess (which is the net loss not yet recognized as net periodic pension cost) is to be recorded as a reduction of other comprehensive income, before adjusting for tax effects. If in a subsequent measurement, the amount of minimum liability is eliminated or adjusted, this adjustment is offset against other comprehensive income in Accumulated Comprehensive Income. This line also includes changes in an entity's share of an equity investee's increase (decrease) in additional pension liability not yet recognized as a net periodic pension cost. Eliminated upon adoption of SFAS 158. Accumulated Minimum Pension Liability Adjustment [Member] Minimum pension adjustment Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cumulative Changes In Net Gain Loss From Cash Flow Hedges Effect Net Of Tax Cumulative unrealized derivative gain (loss) (net of tax of $0, $0 and $6, respectively) The tax effect from accumulated change, in accumulated gains and losses from derivative instruments designated and qualifying as the effective portion of cash flow hedges. Includes an entity's share of an equity investee's increase (decrease) in deferred hedging gains or losses. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cumulative Changes In Net Gain Loss From Cash Flow Hedges Effect Tax Cumulative unrealized derivative gain (loss), tax Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss Defined Benefit Pension And Other Postretirement Plans Net Of Tax Pension and postretirement adjustments (net of tax of $(492), $(480) and $(451), respectively) The tax effect from the total of net (gain) loss, prior service cost (credit), and transition assets (obligations), as well as minimum pension liability if still remaining, included in accumulated other comprehensive income associated with a defined benefit pension or other postretirement plan(s) because they have yet to be recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss Defined Benefit Pension And Other Postretirement Plans Tax Pension and postretirement adjustments, tax Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Currency translation adjustments (net of tax of $(26), $(7) and $(29), respectively) The tax effect from accumulated adjustment, that results from the process of translating subsidiary financial statements and foreign equity investments into the reporting currency from the functional currency of the reporting entity, net of reclassification of realized foreign currency translation gains (losses). Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Tax Currency translation adjustments, tax Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax Accumulated other comprehensive loss Accumulated other comprehensive loss Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Net of Tax Attributable To Noncontrolling Interest Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax Attributable To Noncontrolling Interest Accumulated other comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Additional Paid In Capital Capital in excess of par value Additional Paid In Capital [Member] Capital in Excess of Par Value Adjustments To Reconcile Net Income Loss To Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities [Abstract] Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: Advertising Costs Policy [Text Block] Advertising Costs Advertising Expense Advertising expense Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense Share-based compensation expense All Other [Member] All Other [Member] Other Allowance For Doubtful Accounts [Member] Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Allowance For Doubtful Accounts, Policy Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Policy [Text Block] Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Allowances for doubtful accounts Amended Domestic Credit Agreement [Member] Amended Domestic Credit Agreement [Member] Amended Domestic Credit Agreement Amendment Flag Amendment Flag Amortizable Intangible Assets [Member] Amortizable Intangible Assets [Member] Amortizing intangible assets Amortization Of Financing Costs Amortization of debt issuance costs Apparel and Soft Home [Member] Apparel And Soft Home [Member] Apparel and Soft Home Asset Backed Securities [Member] Mortgage backed and asset backed Asset Impairment Charges Impairment charges Assets Total assets TOTAL ASSETS Assets [Abstract] ASSETS Assets and Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure Assets And Liabilities Fair Value Disclosure Total Assets Current Total current assets Assets Current [Abstract] Current assets Assets Held For Sale At Carrying Value Value of assets held for sale Assets Held For Sale Long Lived Property held for sale Assets Of Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Current Current assets of discontinued operations Assets Of Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Noncurrent Non-current assets of discontinued operations AutoZone, Inc [Member] Auto Zone Inc [Member] AutoZone, Inc Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of bank checks outstanding. Bank Checks Outstanding Outstanding checks in excess of funds included in other current liabilities Banking [Member] Banking [Member] Bank Issued Base Rate [Member] Base Rate [Member] Base Rate Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block] SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Beneficial interest acquired by related party, percentage Beneficial Interest Acquired By Related Party Percentage Percentage of ownership in Sears outstanding common stock Building [Member] Building Buildings And Improvements Gross Buildings and improvements Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Number of Shares of Acquired Common Stock Business Acquisition Cost Of Acquired Entity Number Of Shares Of Acquired Common Stock Additional common shares acquired Business Acquisition [Line Items] Business Acquisition [Line Items] Business Acquisition Percentage Of Voting Interests Acquired Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired Description of purchase of additional noncontrolling interest (minority interest) in a subsidiary completed during the period, including background, timing, and recognized assets and liabilities. Also includes description of dividends received from these same majority-owned subsidiaries. Business Combination And Dividends Disclosure [Text Block] SEARS CANADA California And Indiana State [Member] California And Indiana State [Member] California and Indiana California [Member] California [Member] California Cancellation Of Contract [Member] Cancellation of Contract Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid Unpaid liability to acquire equipment and software Capital Leased Assets Gross Capital leases Capital Lease Obligations CAPITALIZED LEASE OBLIGATIONS Capital lease obligations Capital Lease Obligations Current Less current portion of capital lease obligations Capital Lease Obligations Incurred Capital lease obligation incurred Capital Lease Obligations Noncurrent Long-term capital lease obligations Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due Total minimum lease payments Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract] Minimum Lease Commitments, Capital Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due Current 2012 Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due In Five Years 2016 Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due In Four Years 2015 Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due In Three Years 2014 Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due In Two Years 2013 Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Due Thereafter Later years Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Executory Costs Estimated executory costs Capital Leases Future Minimum Payments Interest Included In Payments Interest at a weighted average rate of 8.1% Carrying Amount Of Asset Securitized Carrying Amount Of Asset Securitized Net book value of the securitized assets Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF YEAR CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF YEAR Cash and cash equivalents Cash And Cash Equivalents Fair Value Disclosure Cash equivalents Cash And Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS Cash And Cash Equivalents Policy [Text Block] Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash Cash Equivalents And Short Term Investments [Member] Cash Cash Equivalents And Short Term Investments [Member] Cash equivalents and short term investments Cash Collateral For Borrowed Securities Cash collateral posted Cash collateral held by counterparties Cash Collateral Held By Counterparties Cash collateral posted under currency forward contracts Cash Dividends Paid To Parent Company By Consolidated Subsidiaries Dividend received by holdings Cash Flow Noncash Investing And Financing Activities Disclosure [Abstract] SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Cash [Member] Cash Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities Discontinued Operations Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities-discontinued operations Net cash used in financing activities-discontinued operations Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities Discontinued Operations Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities - discontinued operations Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities-discontinued operations Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities Discontinued Operations Net cash provided by operating activities-discontinued operations Class Of Stock [Domain] Class of Stock [Domain] Commercial Letters of Credit [Member] Commercial Letters Of Credit [Member] Commercial Letters of Credit Commercial Paper Unsecured commercial paper Commitments And Contingencies Commitments and contingencies Commitments And Contingencies Policy [Text Block] Loss Contingencies Common and Collective Trusts [Member] Common And Collective Trusts [Member] Common collective trusts Common Stock [Member] Common Stock Common Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share Common stock, par value Common Stock Shares Authorized Common stock, shares authorized Common Stock Shares Outstanding Common stock, shares outstanding Common Stock Value Common stock $0.01 par value; 500 shares authorized; 106 and 109 shares outstanding, respectively Compensation Related Costs Policy [Text Block] Stock-based Compensation Component Of Other Expense Nonoperating [Line Items] Component of Other Expense, Nonoperating [Line Items] Component Of Other Expense Nonoperating [Table] Component of Other Expense, Nonoperating [Table] Components Of Deferred Tax Assets And Liabilities [Abstract] Deferred tax assets and liabilities Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax Including Portion Attributable To Noncontrolling Interest Total Comprehensive Income Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax Including Portion Attributable To Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract] Comprehensive income (loss) Computer Equipment [Member] Computer systems and computer equipment Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet [Text Block] Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Cash Flows [Text Block] Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Income Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Income [Text Block] Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Income Condensed Financial Statements Captions [Line Items] Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] Condensed Other Liabilities, Current Condensed Other Liabilities Current Other current liabilities Condensed Prepaid Expense and Other Assets, Current Condensed Prepaid Expense And Other Assets Current Prepaid expenses and other current assets Consolidation Eliminations [Member] Eliminations Contract Termination [Member] Lease Termination Costs Contractual Arrangements and Customer Lists [Member] Contractual Arrangements And Customer Lists [Member] Contractual Arrangements and Customer Lists Corporate Debt Securities [Member] Corporate Corporate Office [Member] Corporate Office [Member] Former headquarters Cost Of Goods And Services Sold Cost of sales, buying and occupancy Cost Of Sales Policy [Text Block] Cost of Sales, Buying and Occupancy Costs Cost Of Sales Vendor Allowances Policy Vendor Rebates and Allowances Costs And Expenses Total costs and expenses Total costs and expenses Costs And Expenses [Abstract] COSTS AND EXPENSES Credit Facility Due Twenty Fifteen [Member] Credit Facility Due Twenty Fifteen [Member] Credit Facility Due Twenty Fifteen Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit Federal Current Fiscal Year End Date Current Fiscal Year End Date Current Foreign Tax Expense Benefit Foreign Current Income Tax Expense Benefit Total Current Income Tax Expense Benefit [Abstract] Current: Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit State and local Debt And Capital Lease Obligations Total borrowings outstanding Debt Disclosure [Line Items] Debt Disclosure [Line Items] Debt Disclosure [Line Items] Debt Disclosure [Table] Debt Disclosure [Table] Debt Disclosure [Table] Debt Disclosure [Text Block] BORROWINGS Debt Instrument [Axis] Debt Instrument [Axis] Debt Instrument Basis Spread On Variable Rate Credit agreement, interest rates margin Debt Instrument Collateral Percentage Of Outstanding Common Stock Debt Instrument Collateral Percentage Of Outstanding Common Stock Percentage of collateralized ownership of domestic subsidiaries Debt Instrument Face Amount Senior secured notes, principal amount outstanding Aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes Aggregate principal amount of unsecured notes Debt Instrument Interest Rate During Period Senior secured note, interest rate Senior secured notes, interest rate Debt Instrument Interest Rate Stated Percentage Senior secured notes, interest rate Debt instrument interest rate Interest rate per annum on unsecured commercial paper Debt Instrument Maturity Date Debt instrument maturity date Senior secured maturity date Debt Instrument Maturity Year Debt Instrument Maturity Year Debt instrument due date Debt insturment maturity year Debt Instrument Name [Domain] Debt Instrument, Name [Domain] Debt Instrument Weighted Average Maturity Period Debt Instrument Weighted Average Maturity Period Weighted average of maturity period Debt Redemption Price Percent Of Principal Amount Debt Redemption Price Percent Of Principal Amount Percentage of note repurchase price per principal amount Debt Repurchase Authorized Amount Debt Repurchase Authorized Amount Authorized amount of debt repurchase Debt Repurchase Remaining Capacity Debt Repurchase Remaining Capacity Unused balance of authorized repurchase of debt Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit Federal Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense Benefit Foreign Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Total Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit [Abstract] Deferred: Deferred Revenue Current Unearned revenues Deferred Revenue Noncurrent Unearned revenues Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit State and local Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Lease Deferred Tax Assets Capital Lease Capital leases Deferred Tax Assets Deferred Income Deferred revenue Deferred Tax Assets Federal Benefit For State And Foreign Taxes Deferred Tax Assets Federal Benefit For State And Foreign Taxes Federal benefit for state and foreign taxes Deferred Tax Assets Gross Total deferred tax assets Deferred Tax Assets Liabilities Net Net deferred tax asset (liability) Deferred Tax Assets Net Net deferred tax assets Deferred Tax Assets Net [Abstract] Deferred tax assets: Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Increase (Decrease) Deferred Tax Assets Net Increase Decrease Net addition to net operating loss carryforwards deferred tax asset Valuation allowance recorded through other comprehensive income Deferred Tax Assets Operating Loss Carryforwards NOL carryforwards Deferred tax asset operating loss ("NOL") carryforwards Net operating loss carryforwards deferred tax assets Deferred Tax Assets Other Other Deferred Tax Assets Tax Credit Carryforwards Credit carryforwards Deferred Tax Assets Tax Deferred Expense Compensation And Benefits Pensions Pension Deferred Tax Assets Tax Deferred Expense Compensation And Benefits Postretirement Benefits Postretirement benefit plans Deferred Tax Assets Tax Deferred Expense Reserves And Accruals Accruals and other liabilities Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance Valuation allowance Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance, Other Adjustment Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance Other Adjustment Deferred tax valuation allowance Deferred Tax Liabilities Total deferred tax liabilities Deferred Tax Liabilities [Abstract] Deferred tax liabilities: Deferred Tax Liabilities Current Short-term deferred tax liabilities Deferred Tax Liabilities Goodwill And Intangible Assets Intangible Assets Trade names/Intangibles Deferred Tax Liabilities, Inventory Deferred Tax Liabilities Inventory Inventory Deferred Tax Liabilities Noncurrent Long-term deferred tax liabilities Deferred Tax Liabilities Other Other Deferred Tax Liabilities Property Plant And Equipment Property and equipment Defined Benefit Plan Accumulated Benefit Obligation Accumulated benefit obligation Defined Benefit Plan Actual Return On Plan Assets Actual return on plan assets Net Realized and Unrealized Gains/(Losses) Defined Benefit Plan Actuarial Net Gains Losses Actuarial (gain) loss Defined Benefit Plan, Alternative Investments Defined Benefit Plan Alternative Investments Alternative investments securities Defined Benefit Plan Amortization Of Gains Losses Amortization of net actuarial gain Defined Benefit Plan Amounts That Will Be Amortized From Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss In Next Fiscal Year Unrecognized net losses that will be amortized as a component of net periodic benefit cost during 2012 Defined Benefit Plan Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation Discount Rate Discount Rate Defined Benefit Plan Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation Rate Of Compensation Increase Rate of compensation increases Defined Benefit Plan Assumptions Used Calculating Net Periodic Benefit Cost Discount Rate Discount Rate Defined Benefit Plan Assumptions Used Calculating Net Periodic Benefit Cost Expected Long Term Return On Assets Return of plan assets Defined Benefit Plan Assumptions Used Calculating Net Periodic Benefit Cost Rate Of Compensation Increase Rate of compensation increases Defined Benefit Plan Benefit Obligation Balance at the measurement date Beginning balance Defined Benefit Plan Benefits Paid Benefits paid Defined Benefit Plan By Plan Asset Categories [Axis] Defined Benefit Plan by Plan Asset Categories [Axis] Defined Benefit Plan Change In Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward] Change in benefit obligation: Defined Benefit Plan Change In Fair Value Of Plan Assets [Roll Forward] Change in assets at fair value: Defined Benefit Plan Contributions By Employer Company contributions Contributions to pension plan Defined Benefit Plan Contributions By Plan Participants Plan participants' contributions Defined Benefit Plan Debt Securities Fixed income and other debt securities