Note 10 - Debt (Detail) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Aug. 20, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Mar. 21, 2011	Jun. 30, 2000	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Feb. 11, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 Payment In Kind [Member]	Feb. 04, 2011 Per Share [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Mar. 21, 2011 Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Feb. 04, 2011 Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fourth Quarter [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 First Quarter [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Federal Funds Open Rate [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 LIBOR Rate [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 PNC [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Maximum [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Minimum [Member]
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	$ 2,000
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description	The note accrues interest at 10% per annum and matures on August 31, 2015. Interest on the note is payable in kind through increasing the outstanding principal amount of the note, or, at the Company's option, it may pay interest quarterly in cash. The note will not be convertible prior to March 31, 2013. After March 31, 2013, at Saints' option, the note is convertible, in whole or in part, into shares of Common Stock of Merisel at a conversion price that is the greater of (a) $0.10 or (b) an amount equal to (x) EBITDA for the twelve months ended March 31, 2013 multiplied by six and one-half (6.5), less amounts outstanding under the PNC Agreement, and liabilities relating to the outstanding redeemable Series A Preferred Stock and the Note or other indebtedness for borrowed money and (y) divided by the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the conversion date. [ 1] The note is unsecured. It may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time prior to March 31, 2013, so long as the Company's outstanding Series A Preferred Stock has been redeemed, at a redemption price equal to two and one-half times the outstanding principal amount of the Note, plus accrued interest.
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued (in Shares)			12,134.8745											5,781.1222		140,000
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued			100							11,750,000			100,000
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Percentage		8.00%	16.00%			8.00%	12.00%
Interest Payable																	434,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage												100.00%
Deposit Liabilities, Accrued Interest																		649,000
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding (in Shares)		7,214,784			5,000,000		7,214,784		7,214,784
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding (in Shares)															140,000
Sale of Stock, Consideration Received Per Transaction					14,500,000
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount										2,250,000
Amortized Term										72
Amortization of Debt Discount (Premium)		71,000		59,000			205,000	155,000
Deferred Finance Costs, Gross		1,061,000					1,061,000
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding											14,000,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount											3,000,000
Facility Rate Over Base		3.00%					3.00%
Additional Interest Rate																			0.50%	1.00%	4.00%
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate at Period End		6.25%					6.25%
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage							0.75%
Fixed Coverage Charge Ratio																						1.1	1.0
Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Terms		The Company's borrowing base under the Facility is the sum of (i) 85% of its eligible accounts receivable, including up to $500 of unbilled accounts receivable for work performed within the previous 30 days plus (ii) 50% of eligible raw material inventory up to $1,000. The borrowing base is reduced by an Availability Reserve which was reduced to $1,000 from $2,000 at February 3, 2011 pursuant to the PNC Amendment and by outstanding letters of credit in the amount of $2,000 as of June 30, 2012.The Facility must be prepaid when, and to the extent of, the amount of the borrowings exceed the borrowing base.In addition, borrowings under the Facility must be prepaid with net cash proceeds of certain insurance recoveries, at the option of PNC.Early voluntary termination and prepayment will incur a fee $30 from August 13, 2012 through August 12, 2013.
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity		$ 2,000					$ 2,000