v2.4.1.9

Receivables (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Jan. 31, 2015 | Feb. 01, 2014 | Feb. 02, 2013
Receivables | $ 424 us-gaap_ReceivablesNetCurrent | $ 438 us-gaap_ReceivablesNetCurrent |
Credit Card Program Agreement [Member] |  |  |
Effective period of agreement, years | 10 m_EffectivePeriodOfAgreement / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = us-gaap_CreditCardIntermediaryReceivablesMember |  |
Expiration Date of Agreement prior to renewal | July 17, 2016 |  |
Expiration date of agreement | March 31, 2025 |  |
Number of years in renewal option | 3 m_AgreementRenewalOptionNumberOfYears / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = us-gaap_CreditCardIntermediaryReceivablesMember |  |
Amount received under agreement | 975 m_AmountReceivedUnderAgreement / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = us-gaap_CreditCardIntermediaryReceivablesMember | 928 m_AmountReceivedUnderAgreement / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = us-gaap_CreditCardIntermediaryReceivablesMember | 865 m_AmountReceivedUnderAgreement / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = us-gaap_CreditCardIntermediaryReceivablesMember
Net earnings from credit operations | $ 776 m_NetEarningsFromCreditOperations / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = us-gaap_CreditCardIntermediaryReceivablesMember | $ 731 m_NetEarningsFromCreditOperations / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = us-gaap_CreditCardIntermediaryReceivablesMember | $ 663 m_NetEarningsFromCreditOperations / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = us-gaap_CreditCardIntermediaryReceivablesMember

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- Definition Agreement Renewal Option Number of Years + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | m_AgreementRenewalOptionNumberOfYears
Namespace Prefix: | m_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Amount Received Under Agreement + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | m_AmountReceivedUnderAgreement
Namespace Prefix: | m_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Effective Period of Agreement + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | m_EffectivePeriodOfAgreement
Namespace Prefix: | m_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Expiration Date of Agreement + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | m_ExpirationDateOfAgreement
Namespace Prefix: | m_
Data Type: | us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Expiration Date of Agreement prior to renewal + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | m_ExpirationDateofAgreementpriortorenewal
Namespace Prefix: | m_
Data Type: | us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Net Earnings from Credit Operations + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | m_NetEarningsFromCreditOperations
Namespace Prefix: | m_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition The total amount due to the entity within one year of the balance sheet date (or one operating cycle, if longer) from outside sources, including trade accounts receivable, notes and loans receivable, as well as any other types of receivables, net of allowances established for the purpose of reducing such receivables to an amount that approximates their net realizable value. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph a -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3,4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 4 -Article 5 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ReceivablesNetCurrent
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis=us-gaap_CreditCardIntermediaryReceivablesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |