Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 29, 2012 Y product Location	Jan. 30, 2011	Jan. 31, 2010
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number Of Products Offered Online	300,000
Number of stores in operation	2,252
Fiscal Year, Period	52 weeks	52 weeks	52 weeks
Receivables due from customers	$ 1,245,000,000	$ 1,085,000,000
Percentage of Merchandise Inventories that are calculated at the lower of cost or market	19.00%
Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount exceeding a probability of	50.00%
Gift card breakage income	42,000,000	46,000,000	40,000,000
Services revenue	2,900,000,000	2,700,000,000	2,600,000,000
Gross advertising expense	846,000,000	864,000,000	897,000,000
Incremental and identifiable advertising co-op allowances	94,000,000	90,000,000	105,000,000
Shipping and handling costs	430,000,000	410,000,000	386,000,000
Estimated useful life for intangible assets, maximum, in years	10
Per share weighted average fair value of stock options granted	$ 7.42	$ 6.70	$ 6.61
Net Sales outside of the U.S.	8,000,000,000	7,500,000,000	7,000,000,000
Long-lived assets outside of U.S.	3,100,000,000	3,200,000,000
Lease Obligations [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Store Rationalization - Lease obligation costs, net			84,000,000
Mexico [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of stores in operation	91
United States [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of stores in operation	1,974
Canada [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of stores in operation	180
China [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of stores in operation	7
Trade Accounts Receivable [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Receivables due from customers	$ 45,000,000	$ 42,000,000
Minimum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Approximate Number Of Different Types Of Inventory Held At Stores	30,000
Fiscal Year, Period	52 weeks
Maximum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Approximate Number Of Different Types Of Inventory Held At Stores	40,000
Fiscal Year, Period	53 weeks
Investments Classified As Cash Equivalents, Original Maturity	3 months
Software [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Minimum useful life, in years	3
Maximum useful life, in years	6
Average store size [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Approximate average square footage of warehouse-style stores	104,000
Average Garden Center Size [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Approximate average square footage of warehouse-style stores	24,000