XML 57 R31.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.6

Sales by Product Line (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2011
Sales by Product Line [Abstract] |
Percentages Of Net Sales By Product Line |
Type |  | Introduced |  |  | 2011 |  |  | 2010 |  |  | 2009 |
Fasteners 1 |  |  | 1967 |  |  |  | 46.9 | % |  |  | 49.1 | % |  |  | 50.0 | %
Tools |  |  | 1993 |  |  |  | 9.4 | % |  |  | 9.3 | % |  |  | 9.9 | %
Cutting tools |  |  | 1996 |  |  |  | 4.6 | % |  |  | 4.4 | % |  |  | 4.4 | %
Hydraulics & pneumatics |  |  | 1996 |  |  |  | 7.8 | % |  |  | 7.2 | % |  |  | 6.9 | %
Material handling |  |  | 1996 |  |  |  | 6.1 | % |  |  | 6.1 | % |  |  | 5.9 | %
Janitorial supplies |  |  | 1996 |  |  |  | 6.2 | % |  |  | 6.1 | % |  |  | 6.1 | %
Electrical supplies |  |  | 1997 |  |  |  | 4.7 | % |  |  | 4.6 | % |  |  | 4.4 | %
Welding supplies |  |  | 1997 |  |  |  | 3.9 | % |  |  | 3.6 | % |  |  | 3.6 | %
Safety supplies |  |  | 1999 |  |  |  | 7.9 | % |  |  | 7.0 | % |  |  | 6.3 | %
Metals |  |  | 2001 |  |  |  | 0.5 | % |  |  | 0.5 | % |  |  | 0.6 | %
Direct ship 2 |  |  | 2004 |  |  |  | 1.6 | % |  |  | 1.6 | % |  |  | 1.8 | %
Office supplies |  |  | 2010 |  |  |  | 0.1 | % |  |  | 0.1 | % |  |  | 0.0 | %
Other |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0.3 | % |  |  | 0.4 | % |  |  | 0.1 | %
|  |  |  |  |  |  | 100.0 | % |  |  | 100.0 | % |  |  | 100.0 | %
1 | Fastener product line represents fasteners and miscellaneous supplies.
2 | Direct ship represents a cross section of products from the eleven product lines. The items included here represent certain items with historically low margins which are shipped directly from our distribution channel to our customers, bypassing our store network.

X
- Details
Name: | fast_SalesByProductLineAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | fast_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Schedule Of Percentages Of Net Sales By Product Line[Text Block] + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | fast_ScheduleOfPercentagesOfNetSalesByProductLineTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | fast_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration