Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - USD ($)
$ in Millions

3 Months Ended

6 Months Ended

Aug. 04, 2018

Jul. 29, 2017

Aug. 04, 2018

Jul. 29, 2017

Significant Accounting Policies Updates [Abstract]

Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Significant Accounting Policies Updates

Revenue Recognition—The Company's retail operations segment recognizes merchandise revenue at the "point of sale." Allowance for sales returns and a return asset are recorded as components of net sales in the period in which the related sales are recorded. Sales taxes collected from customers are excluded from revenue and are recorded in trade accounts payable and accrued expenses until remitted to the taxing authorities.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. ("Wells Fargo") owns and manages Dillard's private label credit cards under a long-term marketing and servicing alliance pursuant to a 10-year agreement ("Wells Fargo Alliance"). The Company's share of income earned under the Wells Fargo Alliance is included as a component of service charges and other income. The Company recorded income of approximately $22 million and $24 million from the alliance during the three months ended August 4, 2018 and July 29, 2017, respectively, and approximately $43 million and $45 million from the alliance during the six months ended August 4, 2018 and July 29, 2017, respectively. The Company participates in the marketing of the private label credit cards, which includes the cost of customer reward programs. Through the reward programs, customers earn points that are redeemable for discounts on future purchases. The Company defers a portion of its net sales upon the sale of merchandise to its customer reward program members that is recognized in net sales when the reward is redeemed or expired at a future date.The Company accepts payments on the private label cards in its stores as a convenience to customers who prefer to pay in person rather than by paying online or by mailing their payments to Wells Fargo.

Revenue from construction segment contracts is generally recognized by applying percentages of completion for each period to the total estimated profits for the respective contracts. The length of each contract varies but is typically nine to eighteen months. The percentages of completion are determined by relating the actual costs of work performed to date to the current estimated total costs of the respective contracts. When the estimate on a contract indicates a loss, the entire loss is recorded in the current period.

Private Label Card Revenue

$ 22

$ 24

$ 43

$ 45

Original term of Wells Fargo Alliance

10 years