Credit Facilities and Long-Term Debt (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Recovery zone facility bond, maturity date	Oct. 01, 2018
Capital equipment lease maturity date	Oct. 01, 2018
Additional amount to be paid over principal and interest to acquire ownership	$ 1.00
Long-term debt, outstanding amount	5,500,000
Inmac W Store [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Credit facility, maturing date	Jun. 09, 2012
Systemax Inc. [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Secured revolving credit agreement, current borrowing capacity	125,000,000
Secured revolving credit agreement, maximum borrowing capacity	200,000,000
Term of credit facility	5 years
Credit facility, maturing date	Oct. 27, 2015
Percentage of eligible accounts receivable for borrowings, maximum (in hundredths)	85.00%
Percentage of qualified inventories for borrowings, maximum (in hundredths)	40.00%
Eligible collateral letters of credit	110,100,000
Availability under line of credit	104,600,000
Total outstanding letters of credit	5,500,000
Outstanding borrowings	$ 0